RHODANESE (THIOSULFATE-CYANIDE SULFURTRANSFERASE) DISTRIBUTION IN THEDIGESTIVE-TRACT OF CHICKEN

In this study the level of rhodanese (thiosulfate:cyanide sulfurtransf erase) activity in different regions of the digestive tract of chicken was determined and compared with that in the liver, heart, kidney, an d lung. All tissues studied contained rhodanese. The highest specific activity of rhodanese was in the submucosal layer of proventriculus, f ollowed by liver, heart, the mucosal layer of cecum, rectum, and kidne y. The lowest level was present in lung. These results suggest that in the chicken part of the ingested cyanide is detoxified in the digesti ve tract, mainly by the proventriculus, and part of the absorbed cyani de is metabolized by hepatic rhodanese.