beta-aminoisobutyric acid excretion

Also known as: BAIB excretion

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Category: Science & Tech

Also called:: BAIB excretion

Related Topics:: metabolism; pyrimidine

See all related content →

beta-aminoisobutyric acid excretion, a metabolic process under simple genetic control in human beings and the higher primates, the significance of which is not fully understood. Beta-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIB), an amino acid end product of pyrimidine metabolism, is excreted in trace quantities into the urine in almost all human beings, but the excretion of relatively large quantities of BAIB appears to be the result of a simple autosomal recessive allele. Although excretion of amino acids in the urine is frequently a symptom of a metabolic disorder, often genetic in nature, the excretion of high levels of BAIB does not appear to ...(100 of 220 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.