TAURINE IN MARINE INVERTEBRATES
241
the hydrocarbon skeleton is derived from pyruvate or an intermediary
of the Krebs cycle. Taurine also had a specific activity similar to alanine
and together with aspartic acid, proline and glycine makes up most of
the concentration of amino derivatives present (0.5-2 p moles/ 100 mg
fresh weight). In similar experiments using D-arabinose U14C, activity
in taurine, aspartic and glutamic acids demonstrates that the L-ketoglutaride may be produced outside the operation of the Krebs cycle and
would indicate that a metabolite of this sequence is common to both
taurine and 2-ketoglutarate (Florkin and Schoffeniels, 1969). In fact,
the pathway picture is complex (Fig. 1) but out of a variety of possible
routes from cysteine that via cysteine sulphinic acid and hypotaurine
and that via cysteamine and hypotaurine seem to be the most significant in marine invertebrates. Clearly a vast amount of experiment is
necessary t o elucidate the chemistry and function of taurine, but we
believe sufficient is now known to emphasize that this is a compound
of considerable significance in the physiology of marine invertebrates.
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Miss Audrey Twizell for her patience and
good humour in coping with our demands for typing what at times was
barely decipherable notes to finished manuscript, and also Miss Carol
Miller for assistance with the references. Not least we wish to thank
Professor Arthur Martin of the Zoology Department, University of
Washington, Seattle, who so carefully read the manuscript and who
made many valuable comments.
VI. REFERENCES
Abbott, W. and Awapara, J. (1960). Sulfur metabolism in the the lugworm,
Arenieola crbtalcr Stimpson. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Wood8 Hole, 119,
Ackcrmann, D. (1935). Asterubin, eine schwefclhaltige Guanidinverbindung der
belcbtcn Natur. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyawl. Chem. 232, 206-21 2.
Ackermann, D. (1930). ubcr das Verhaltcn des Taurocyamins im Stoffercchscl
und das Vorkommen von Glycocyamin im Ham. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyaiol.
Chem. 239, 231-235.
ubor das Vorkommcn von Homarin, Taurocyamin,
Cholin, Lysin und andcren Aminosauren sowic Bernstoinesaurc in dem
Mccreswurm Areiticola marina. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyeiol. Chem. 302, 8@86.
Neues Vorkommcn von Mytilit bei
Avcrtcbraten (Ciona inteetinalb). Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyaiol. Chem. 296,
uber das Verkommen von Homarin,
Glykokollbctain, Cholin, Argenin, Mytilit, Taurin and d, 1-Milchsiiurc in der
Moercsschnecko Patella apuriens. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyaiol. Chem. 298,
357-370.
Ackcrmnnn, D. (1955).
Ackermann, D. and Janka, R. (1954a).
283-286.
Ackcrmann, D. and Janka, R. (195413).
65-69.
241
the hydrocarbon skeleton is derived from pyruvate or an intermediary
of the Krebs cycle. Taurine also had a specific activity similar to alanine
and together with aspartic acid, proline and glycine makes up most of
the concentration of amino derivatives present (0.5-2 p moles/ 100 mg
fresh weight). In similar experiments using D-arabinose U14C, activity
in taurine, aspartic and glutamic acids demonstrates that the L-ketoglutaride may be produced outside the operation of the Krebs cycle and
would indicate that a metabolite of this sequence is common to both
taurine and 2-ketoglutarate (Florkin and Schoffeniels, 1969). In fact,
the pathway picture is complex (Fig. 1) but out of a variety of possible
routes from cysteine that via cysteine sulphinic acid and hypotaurine
and that via cysteamine and hypotaurine seem to be the most significant in marine invertebrates. Clearly a vast amount of experiment is
necessary t o elucidate the chemistry and function of taurine, but we
believe sufficient is now known to emphasize that this is a compound
of considerable significance in the physiology of marine invertebrates.
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Miss Audrey Twizell for her patience and
good humour in coping with our demands for typing what at times was
barely decipherable notes to finished manuscript, and also Miss Carol
Miller for assistance with the references. Not least we wish to thank
Professor Arthur Martin of the Zoology Department, University of
Washington, Seattle, who so carefully read the manuscript and who
made many valuable comments.
VI. REFERENCES
Abbott, W. and Awapara, J. (1960). Sulfur metabolism in the the lugworm,
Arenieola crbtalcr Stimpson. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Wood8 Hole, 119,
Ackcrmann, D. (1935). Asterubin, eine schwefclhaltige Guanidinverbindung der
belcbtcn Natur. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyawl. Chem. 232, 206-21 2.
Ackermann, D. (1930). ubcr das Verhaltcn des Taurocyamins im Stoffercchscl
und das Vorkommen von Glycocyamin im Ham. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyaiol.
Chem. 239, 231-235.
ubor das Vorkommcn von Homarin, Taurocyamin,
Cholin, Lysin und andcren Aminosauren sowic Bernstoinesaurc in dem
Mccreswurm Areiticola marina. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyeiol. Chem. 302, 8@86.
Neues Vorkommcn von Mytilit bei
Avcrtcbraten (Ciona inteetinalb). Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyaiol. Chem. 296,
uber das Verkommen von Homarin,
Glykokollbctain, Cholin, Argenin, Mytilit, Taurin and d, 1-Milchsiiurc in der
Moercsschnecko Patella apuriens. Hoppe-Seyler’a 2. phyaiol. Chem. 298,
357-370.
Ackcrmnnn, D. (1955).
Ackermann, D. and Janka, R. (1954a).
283-286.
Ackcrmann, D. and Janka, R. (195413).
65-69.