[Chemical nature of lachrymal products in the dolphin Tursiops truncatus].

Studies have been made on carbohydrate-protein complex (the ratio of carbohydrate to protein is equal to 1 : 2) in lachrymal products of the dolphin. It was shown that protein component includes 14 amino acids, in which diamino monocarboxylic acids amount to 58%. The ratio of the latter to monoamino dicarboxylic acids is equal to 4.3. Therefore the proteins of lachrymal products are basic ones. This peculiarity of the proteins and the absence of cystein and tryptophan in them indicate that these proteins are represented by histon-like ones, which exhibit high capacity to complex formation. It was demonstrated histochemically, that carbohydrate component of lachrymal reproduct is represented by chondroitin-sulfate B. By thin layer chromatography, neutral monosaccharides (galactose and fucose) were detected, which presumably constitute terminal links of the prosthetic groups.