The utilization of nitrogen for growth in mice fed blends of purified proteins

Reasons for differences in growth of weanling mice fed different blends of purified proteins in diets apparently adequate in indispensable amino acids were investigated. Dietary nitrogen provided at increasing levels from a mixture of casein, gelatin, and zein, or from these plus gliadin and lactalbumin resulted in similar weight gains and efficiency of feed utilization in weanling mice. These responses were always lower (P less than 0.05) than for mice fed the control diet. When diets were based on true digestible nitrogen and amino acids, weight gains and feed efficiency decreased (P less than 0.05) as the dietary nitrogen level increased. High plasma glycine concentrations and high phenylalanine to tyrosine ratios were associated with high dietary glycine levels provided by gelatin. When a mixture of constant proportions of protein sources, predominantly casein, supplied most of the dietary nitrogen, small increases in weight gains and feed efficiency were observed as the nitrogen level in the diet increased. Varying the proportions of sources, which increased the percentage of gelatin, resulted in decreased gains in response to more dietary nitrogen. Replacing the amino acids found in gelatin by crystalline L-amino acids and replacing glycine by glutamic acid improved gains and feed efficiency (P less than 0.05) compared with gelatin-containing diets. These studies demonstrated that glycine at dietary concentrations of approximately 1-2%, either from gelatin or as the free amino acid, inhibited growth and feed utilization of growing mice.