Uricotelism, Biology

Assignment Help:

Uricotelism

In animals which inhabit extremely arid environments, ammonia is converted into  uric acid. Uric acid is least toxic, relatively insoluble and is easily precipitated. Hence, it can be excreted in solid form without loss of substantial amount of water. Pulmonate snails, terrestrial insects, squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) and birds excrete a major portion of their waste nitrogen in the form of semi-solid or solid uric acid and hence are referred to as uricotelic animals.

1807_Uricotelism.png

Figure: Uric Acid

The synthesis of uric acid from ammonia in these animals occurs by the inosinic acid pathway. This pathway was first elucidated by Buchanan and his co- workers in the 1950s in pigeon liver. Uric acid is a member of the purines. While the details of the pathway are beyond the scope of this unit, in Figure the different fragments from which the uric acid molecule is assembled is shown. The dashed lines which divide the uric acid molecule in the Figure indicate the building blocks from which its biosynthesis takes place.


Related Discussions:- Uricotelism

Adaptation, Adaptation Closely related to irritability is the capacit...

Adaptation Closely related to irritability is the capacity of living things for adaptation. You might have noticed that whenever you go outside in the bright sun after having

Define thin layer chromatography, Define Thin Layer Chromatography? Thi...

Define Thin Layer Chromatography? This is an improvement over paper chromatography and uses thin layers of slurried absorbents like silica gel, alumina, cellulose, Kieselguhr,

Excretory system - ureters, URETERS From hilum of each kidney emerge...

URETERS From hilum of each kidney emerges out a tube. Wall is thick. Lumen is star shaped. 28 cm. long. Transitional epithelium present in wall. Open in to urinary bla

How will you evaluate periimplant marginal tissues, How will you evaluate p...

How will you evaluate periimplant marginal tissues? Evaluation of the perimplant Marginal tissues can be done by using following parameters: i) Assessing the marginal mucos

Explain two capacities and volumes of respiratory, Given four respiratory c...

Given four respiratory capacities (a - d) and four jumbled respiratory volumes of a normal human adult: Respiratory Respiratory capacities volumes. 1.            Residual vol

Prototheria, prototherians are unfinished mammals

prototherians are unfinished mammals

Fisson, what is mean by fisson

what is mean by fisson

Concepts and definitions in relation to nutrient requirement, Concepts and ...

Concepts and Definitions in Relation to Nutrient Requirements 1) The probability concept describes the relationship between the levels of intake and the probability of risk of

Primary tissues, what do primary tissues of a plant do

what do primary tissues of a plant do

Explain the intracellular perfusion fluid, At 1 AM, a healthy squid giant a...

At 1 AM, a healthy squid giant axon is placed in a bath of normal squid physiological extracellular saline and is internally perfused with normal squid intracellular saline.

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd