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Homarine (N-Methyl Picolinic Acid) in Muscles of some Australian Crustacea

Nature volume 200, page 78 (1963)Cite this article

Abstract

DURING the examination of guanidino compounds in trichloroacetic acid extracts of crustacean muscles, it was observed that treatment of paper chromatograms with alkaline α-naphthol : diacetyl1 sometimes resulted in the appearances of a yellow spot in addition to the pink spots characteristic of guanidine and its mono- and di-N-substituted derivatives. The unknown compound responsible for this yellow spot was present in muscle extracts from the marine Crustacea, Moreton Bay lobster (Thenus orientalis), king prawn (Penaeus plebejus), tiger prawn (Penaeus esculentus), and spiny crayfish (Jasus verreauxi), but was absent from the corresponding extracts from the fresh-water organisms, Murray River crayfish (Euastacus elongatus) and fresh-water crayfish (Cherax albidus). This variation in distribution prompted further investigations, and this communication reports evidence for the identification of the compound as homarine2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane

    G. J. LEONARD & K. MACDONALD

Authors
  1. G. J. LEONARD
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  2. K. MACDONALD
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LEONARD, G., MACDONALD, K. Homarine (N-Methyl Picolinic Acid) in Muscles of some Australian Crustacea. Nature 200, 78 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/200078a0

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