Occurrence of cadmium in crabs (Cancer pagurus) and the isolation and properties of cadmium metallothionein

Journal Article · Fri Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1986 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8665101· OSTI ID:5431298

Overnell, J

The occurrence of high cadmium levels in the digestive gland (hepatopancreas) of the crab Cancer pagurus is reviewed and its possible significance to human health is discussed. Previous attempts to isolate this cadmium in its native form are briefly reviewed and the present method used in this laboratory to isolate crab cadmium metallothionein is described. Quantitative amino acid analysis of the purified protein suggests that it has a total of 55 residues, including 19 Cys, and a molecular weight of approximately 5800. This yields an extinction coefficient at 220 nm for the protein in HCl, pH 1.5, of 50,000 and at 250 nm for the native cadmium protein in Tris-HCl, pH 8.4, of 92,000.

• Research Organization: NERC Institute of Marine Biochemistry, Aberdeen, Scotland
• OSTI ID: 5431298
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 65; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200 -- Biochemistry
560304* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Invertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BIOCHEMISTRY
BODY
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CHEMISTRY
CRABS
CRUSTACEANS
DECAPODS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISTRIBUTION
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GLANDS
INVERTEBRATES
LIVER
METALLOPROTEINS
METALLOTHIONEIN
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PANCREAS
PROTEINS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION