Accumulation of cobalt by cephalopods. II. Cobalt-binding substances in the branchial heart of Octopus vulgaris.

Abstract

Cobalt-binding substances in the branchial heart of Octopus vulgaris were examined by means of gel-filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, electrophoresis and amino acid analysis.Two cobalt-binding substances were fractionated in the gel-filtration experiment. Their molecular weights were estimated to be 2000 and 1000 and they developed reddish brown and pale yellow colors, respectively. They showed, almost the same amino acid composition; namely, both showed a characteristic feature of predominant Gly. Next to Gly, Asp was obviously observed as compared with other trace amounts of amino acids.By considering their molecular weights, amino acid composition and other results of the experiments, the cobalt-binding substances were estimated to be adenochromes, purple-brown pigments, in the branchial heart.