ISSN:
1420-9071
Keywords:
Tunichrome
;
phenylalanine
;
ascidian
;
tunicates
;
blood pigments
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Ascidia ceratodes exposed to14C-phenylalanine in the surrounding seawater incorporates the radiolabel into newly biosynthesized tunichrome molecules. Radioactivity can be detected in tunichrome extracted from circulating blood cells within one day following initial exposure to the radiolabel; weak activity (≤4 μCi/mol tunichrome=22 nmol phenylalanine/mol tunichrome) is detected in 1 to 10 days; significantly higher amounts of radiolabel (57 μCi/mol tunichrome=318 nmol phenylalanine/mol tunichrome) appear 20 days after seawater exposure. Therefore, phenylalanine can function as a precursor in the biosynthesis of tunichrome.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01923431
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