Adv. mar. Bwl., Vol. 9, 1971, pp. 205-2153.
TAURINE IN MARINE INVERTEBRATES
J. A. ALLEN and M. R. GARRETT
Dove Marine Laboratory, University of Newcastle upon Tyne,
Cullercacts, North Shields,
Northumberland, England
I. Introduotion
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
11. Chemistry
. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. 215
111. Function
. . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . 227
IV. Summary and Conclusions
. . .. . . . . . . . . .. 240
V. Acknowledgements
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
VI. Referenoes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
I. INTRODUCTION
Taurine, or 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid, while not usually
considered as an amino acid is closely related t o them. It is listed in
tables of amino acid content of invertebrate tissues (e.g. Simpson et al.,
1959), sometimes with implied similarity of function, although this is
by no means always clear.
CH2.NH2
I
TAURINE
CH,.SO,H.
Taurine was first discovered in the bile of the ox by Tiedemann and
Gmelin (1827), and was thought at that time t o be an excretory product
that was produced in the liver from the decomposition of a sulphurated
acid contained in the bile and thus comparable chemically and physiologically with urea (Valenciennes and F r h y , 1855). Later work
ehowed it to be widely distributed in the tissues of all the vertebrate
groups (Kruckenberg, 1881a ; von Fiirth, 1903 ; Yoshimuda and Kanai,
1913; Berner, 1920; Walker, 1952; Awapara et al., 1950; Awapara,
1956; An and Fromageot, 1960; Basheri and Fromageot, 1962).
Thus Awapara et al. (1950), found taurine in all the tissues of the rat
that they analysed-liver, kidney, muscle, heart, spleen, testis, brain
and ileum-and they found the greatest quantity in heart muscle.
Muscles are said t o contain 75% of the body taurine of the rat, taurine
constituting about 0.15% of the total body weight (Schram, 1960),
but this figure, which is equivalent to 1200 p moles/lOO g tissue, may
be an overestimate by at least two times (Boquet and Fromageot, 1965).
206
TAURINE IN MARINE INVERTEBRATES
J. A. ALLEN and M. R. GARRETT
Dove Marine Laboratory, University of Newcastle upon Tyne,
Cullercacts, North Shields,
Northumberland, England
I. Introduotion
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
11. Chemistry
. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. 215
111. Function
. . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . 227
IV. Summary and Conclusions
. . .. . . . . . . . . .. 240
V. Acknowledgements
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
VI. Referenoes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
I. INTRODUCTION
Taurine, or 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid, while not usually
considered as an amino acid is closely related t o them. It is listed in
tables of amino acid content of invertebrate tissues (e.g. Simpson et al.,
1959), sometimes with implied similarity of function, although this is
by no means always clear.
CH2.NH2
I
TAURINE
CH,.SO,H.
Taurine was first discovered in the bile of the ox by Tiedemann and
Gmelin (1827), and was thought at that time t o be an excretory product
that was produced in the liver from the decomposition of a sulphurated
acid contained in the bile and thus comparable chemically and physiologically with urea (Valenciennes and F r h y , 1855). Later work
ehowed it to be widely distributed in the tissues of all the vertebrate
groups (Kruckenberg, 1881a ; von Fiirth, 1903 ; Yoshimuda and Kanai,
1913; Berner, 1920; Walker, 1952; Awapara et al., 1950; Awapara,
1956; An and Fromageot, 1960; Basheri and Fromageot, 1962).
Thus Awapara et al. (1950), found taurine in all the tissues of the rat
that they analysed-liver, kidney, muscle, heart, spleen, testis, brain
and ileum-and they found the greatest quantity in heart muscle.
Muscles are said t o contain 75% of the body taurine of the rat, taurine
constituting about 0.15% of the total body weight (Schram, 1960),
but this figure, which is equivalent to 1200 p moles/lOO g tissue, may
be an overestimate by at least two times (Boquet and Fromageot, 1965).
206