Feeding schedule alteration of daily rhythm in tyrosine alpha-ketoglutarate transaminase of rat liver.

Liver tyrosine alpha-ketoglutarate transaminase has a daily rhythm such that in rats fed on an unrestricted basis the activity is highest at approximately 11:00 p.m. In contrast, rats fed only from 8:00 a.m. to noon show a markedly different rhythm in the enzyme, with maximum activity at 11:00 a.m. Controlling the time of food intake seems to be a useful means of studying the mechanism of the daily changes in this enzyme.