THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE CRYSTALLINE STYLE AND OF THE GASTRIC SHIELD: WITH SOME NEW OBSERVATIONS ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE STYLE OXIDASE

¹ From the Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, B. C.

The crystalline styles of four species of lamellibranch have been examined chemically to determine whether the material is entirely protein in nature or contains mucin or chondrin.

The material yields on acid hydrolysis, glucuronic acid, sulphuric acid and a hexosamine, in addition to protein. It therefore contains all the essential constituents of mucin or chondrin. The solubility and ease of hydrolysis of the material suggest that mucin rather than chondrin is involved.

The composition of the styles is not quantitatively identical in the four species examined, but varies in such a way as to suggest that the less readily soluble styles contain the larger quantity of mucin.

The material of which the gastric shield is composed is found to be chitin.

The oxidase system previously recorded in the styles of a number of lamellibranchs is now shown to occur in two more species. It is also found to be present in that of the gastropod, Crepidula fornicata.

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				C. Berkeley Toxicity of Plankton to Cristispira Inhabiting the Crystalline Style of a Mollusk Science, February 23, 1962; 135(3504): 664 - 665. [Abstract] [PDF]