Free amino acids in some tissues of marine crustacea

Summary Free amino acids contained in extracts of crustaceans were separated and determined quantitatively by ion exchange chromatography. In the hepatoprancreas of the brachyuran crustaceanCarcinus maenas, glycine, arginine, proline and alanine constituted 78.7% of the total amino acid pool. InEriphia spinifrons andMaja verrucosa, glycine, alanine, lysine and leucine comprised 54.9–66.9% of the total content. In the muscle tissue of the macruran crustaceaPalaemon, glycine, arginine, proline and alanine were the most common free amino acids and comprised 70–95% of the total content. The high concentrations of some amino acids in tissues of crustaceans may play a role in intracellular osmotic regulation and also in the maintenance of ionic hydrogen concentration.Acknowledgments. The author wishes to thank Mr R. Mari for his skillful help in the amino acid analyses and Miss G. Princivalli for typing the mansucript.     

Trypsin sensitivity of some proteins of the sea-urchin egg before and after fertilization an electrophoretic analysis

Riassunto La frazione precipitata al 50% di saturazione di solfato di Ammonio da estratti di uova vergini e fecondate diArbacia lixula presenta all'analisi elettroforetica un gruppo principale di tre componenti. Per trattamento con tripsina questo gruppo si risolve in cinque componenti nella frazione proveniente da uova vergini ed in quattro in quella proveniente da uova fecondate.     

Immunochemical similarities among the hemolymph juvenile hormone binding proteins of moths

The hemolymph from various species of moths was analyzed for cross-reactivity with a panel of six monoclonal antibodies made against the hemolymph juvenile hormone binding protein ofManduca sexta. With the exception of one antibody, the immunoreactivity was limited to the sphingid family. One monoclonal antibody cross-reacted with a number of lepidopteran species; however, families such as Noctuidae and Pyralidae, known to have high affinity, low molecular weight juvenile hormone binding proteins, did not cross-react. Immunological cross-reactivity withManduca sexta juvenile hormone binding protein in several primitive moth families supports the current model of phylogenetic relationships in the order Lepidoptera.     

Identification of human serum proteins binding iron,copper, and thyroid hormones by starch gel electrophoresis

Résumé On a analysé au moyen d'électrophorèse sur gel d'amidon les protéines qui, dans le sérum humain, lient le fer, le cuivre et l'hormone thyroïdienne, en utilisant comme témoins des protéines purifiées et la radioactivité. Le fer est lié par la -globuline qui, dans certaines familles, paraît se diviser en deux composants. Le cuivre est lié par la céruloplasmine, qui émigre dans la position ₂ rapide. La protéine principale liant la thyroxine est la préalbumine.     

Use of arrow-root powder in starch gel electrophoresis

Summary The arrow-root powder is used in electrophoresis as an alternative to potato starch. Its use is quite economical and this starch can be easily hydrolysed in any laboratory.The author is indebted to Dr M. M. Goil, Prof. & Head of the Department and Dr R. K. Sharma, Professor of Zoology, for their invaluable suggestions and help in various ways.     

An electrophoretic study of proteins secreted by the rat submandibular gland in response to autonomic agonists

Summary Proteins secreted by the rat submandibular gland after administration of autonomic agonists have been fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) — polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. α-adrenoceptor, β-adrenoceptor and muscarinic agonists were all found to cause the secretion of different protein populations. This work is supported by a grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust, made to Dr C.J. Jones, whose help and supervision is gratefully acknowledged.     

Role of intracellular symbionts in the fatbody of cockroaches: Influence on hemolymph proteins

Zusammenfassung Zur Herabsetzung der Anzahl von Symbionten in einem Fettkörper der KüchnschabeBlaberus craniifer wurde eine Penicillin-G-Behandlung durchgeführt, was eine Reduktion bei 2 Hämolymphe-Proteinen verursachte. Diese mit der Symbionten-Aktivität und Fortpflanzung verknüpften Proteine treten am Ende der Behandlung wieder in Erscheinung.     

A virus of a new type pathogenic to crustacea

Résumé Une maladie virale a été mise en évidence chez le DécapodeMacropipus depurator. Le virus isolé et purifié est de 150 à 300 nm de long, ovoïde et enveloppé. Il est expérimentalement très pathogène. Les groupements de virions ont été montrés dans le cytoplasme des cellules cardiaques.     

A study on the metabolism of some dienoic compounds

Riassunto Acidi dienoici marcati con¹⁴C facilmente aromatizzabili a fenoli per via chimica, sono stati somministrati a muffe produttrici di fenoli. Anzichè l'aromatizzazione è stata osservata una degradazione, che nel caso dell'acido 3-metilepta-2, 5-dien-1, 7-dioico conduce all'acido 2-metilglutarico.