A study of 14C-proline and 14C-hydroxyproline incorporation in different homogenate fractions of the hepatopancreas of the snail, Helix pomatia L.

The fate of 14C in snails given 14C-proline and 14C-hydroxyproline has been examined by radiometric analyses of hepatopancreas homogenates. Free 14C-proline and 14C-hydroxyproline in the structural protein of three different hepatopancreas homogenate fractions: (a) granules, (b) small calcium spherites, and (c) large calcium sperites. The presence of hydroxyproline in granules and calcium spherites gives reason to believe that a fibrillar protein related to the collagen-type might occur within these structures. The 14C-proline and 14C-hydroxyproline incorporation test measured total radioactivity of each homogenate fraction, expressed as net counts per minute (cpm) per mg of dry weight of each fraction. The radioactivity of the granule and small calcium spherite fractions was about 6-8 times greater than that of the large calcium spherite fraction.