Radiation-induced deamination of hydroxyl-containing amino acids and theirderivatives in aqueous solutions

Comparative data on gamma-induced degradation and deamination of alanine, s erine and threonine, and their methyl esters in dilute aqueous solutions ar e given. It was shown that the hydroxy group at the side chain of atn ino a cids decreases their radiation stability and makes deamination the dominant reaction in the radiolysis of Ser, Thr, and their esters. The results obta ined suggest that fragmentation reactions of the radicals with unpaired ele ctron at the alpha-carbon atom of the side chain play an important role in deamination of these compounds.