Biochem/physiol Actions

Butyrylglycine is an acyl glycine. Acyl glycines are normally minor metabolites of fatty acids. However, the excretion of certain acyl glycines is increased in several inborn errors of metabolism. In certain cases the measurement of these metabolites in body fluids can be used to diagnose disorders associated with mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation. Acyl glycines are produced through the action of glycine N-acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.13) which is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction:acyl-CoA + glycine ↔ CoA + N-acylglycine amino acids composed of glycine substituted at the nitrogen rather than the usual carbon position, resulting in the loss of hydrogen bonding donors.