Histochemical and structural analysis of mucous glycoprotein secreted by the gill of Mytilus edulis

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6325504

Ahn, Hae-Young

Studies were carried out to characterized various mucous cells in the gill filament, to ascertain structural characteristics of the secreted mucous glycoproteins, and to determine the ability of the gill epithelium to incorporate ({sup 14}C)glucosamine as a precursor in the biosynthesis and secretion of mucous glycoproteins. Using histochemical staining techniques, mucous cells containing neutral and acidic mucins were found in the lateral region, whereas mucous cells containing primarily neutral or sulfated mucins were found in the postlateral region. Serotonin, but not dopamine, stimulated the mucous secretion. In tissues pretreated with ({sup 14}C)glucosamine, the secreted glycoproteins contain incorporated radiolabel. Analysis by column chromatography using Bio-Gel P-2 and P-6 shows that the secretion contains two glycoprotein populations. Glycoprotein II has a molecular weight of 2.3 {times} 10{sup 4} daltons. Upon alkaline reductive borohydride cleavage of the O-glycosidic linkages of glycoprotein I, about 70% of the radiolabel was removed from the protein. Gas chromatographic analysis of the carbohydrate composition shows that the glycoproteins contains N-acetylglucosamine (GluNAc), N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), and galactose, fucose and mannose. Amino acid analysis shows that the glycoproteins are rich in serine, threonine and proline.

• Research Organization: West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6325504
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMINES
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
AZAARENES
AZOLES
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DRUGS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
GILLS
GLUCOSAMINE
GLYCOPROTEINS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HEXOSAMINES
HEXOSES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDOLES
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
MOLLUSCS
MONOSACCHARIDES
MUSSELS
NEUROREGULATORS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
PYRROLES
RADIOPROTECTIVE SUBSTANCES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SACCHARIDES
SECRETION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SEROTONIN
SYMPATHOMIMETICS
SYNTHESIS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRYPTAMINES