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Biol Bull 115: 551-561. (December 1958)
© 1958 Marine Biological Laboratory
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QUATERNARY AMMONIUM BASES IN THE COELENTERATES

JOHN H. WELSH 1 and PEGGY B. PROCK 1

1 Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, Cambridge 38, Massachusetts

This was a study of the identification and distribution of quaternary ammonium bases in representative coelenterates. The purpose was to determine if bases were present with paralyzing actions greater than that of tetramethylammonium (tetramine) which was found to occur in all species examined. Four other bases (homarine, trigonelline, ggr-butyrobetaine and the dimethylbetaine of imidazole acetic acid) were found in some species. The bases other than tetramine were found to have no observable paralyzing action on Uca pugilator, in the doses employed. However, it is not possible to account for the powerful paralyzing actions of cold, aqueous extracts of Metridium tentacles or whole hydra on the basis of their tetramine content. It is suggested that this base, in conjunction with a specific protein, might be responsible for the paralyzing action of nematocysts.






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Copyright © 1958 by the Marine Biological Laboratory.