AN N-ACYL GLYCYLTAURINE CONJUGATE OF DEOXYCHOLIC-ACID IN THE BILIARY BILE-ACIDS OF THE RABBIT

The biliary bile acid composition of the adult and neonatal domestic r abbit, as well as that of the adult brush rabbit, was characterized. I n adult domestic rabbits, the dominant bile acid present was deoxychol ic acid (88% of total bile acids), a secondary bile acid formed by the bacterial 7-dehydroxylation of cholic acid. Although most of the bile acids present were conjugated with glycine, two exceptions were obser ved. About 3% of deoxycholic acid was conjugated, in N-acyl linkage, w ith glycyl-taurine. Chenodeoxy-cholic acid, which composed <1% of bile acids, was conjugated solely with taurine, The bile of neonatal rabbi ts contained a greater percentage of primary bile acids, and bile acid s were conjugted to a much greater extent with taurine. The adult brus h rabbit had a bile acid composition similar to that of the domestic r abbit, but about one-third of all bile acids were conjugated with taur ine, In addition, lithocholic acid was present as its sulfated amidate , whereas in the domestic rabbit, lithocholic acid was conjugated sole ly with glycine, The biliary bile acid composition of rabbits appears to be unique both in terms of the predominant steroid moiety, as well as in the modes of conjugation.