Distribution of GABA and other amino acids in different tissues of the gastropod mollusc Helix pomatia, including in vitro experiments with 14 C glucose and 14 C glutamic acid.

Abstract

Microchromatography on 3 × 3 cm polyamide layers of dansyl-compounds was used to study the distribution of free amino acids, GABA, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindole and 5-hydroxytryptophan in the brain, optic tentacle, pharyngeal retractor muscle and heart of Helix pomatia. In addition the formation of GABA after incubation in U- 14C glucose or U- I4C glutamic acid was studied.Low amounts of GABA were for the first time shown to occur in all four tissues studied. In addition taurine, thought to be absent from terrestrial gastropods, was shown to occur in the snail's tissues.In vitro incubation of brain and heart with 14C labelled glucose demonstrated the formation of 14C glutamic acid, 14 C glutamine, 14C alanine and 14C aspartic acid. These amino acids, in addition to 14C GABA, were formed when brain and heart were incubated with 14C labelled glutamic acid.The distribution of amino acids in all other tissues studied showed some similarities, with the exception of ornithine which is low in the brain compared wit...