Absence of Sterol Biosynthesis in the Blue Crab 'Callinectes sapidus' Rathbun and in the Barnacle 'Balanus nubilus' Darwin.

摘要

A dietary requirement for sterols in the blue crab Callinectes sapidus and in the barnacle Balanus nubilus has been established by the use of isotopic tracer techniques. Squalene and sterols were isolated by Florisil column chromatography. Squalene fractions were purified via the thiourea adduct product or the hexahydrochloride derivative. Sterol fractions were purified by recrystallization from methanol or by the dibromide derivative. Radioanalysis of the total lipids and fatty acids from all samples exposed to acetate-C(14) or mevalonate-C(14) showed sufficient incorporations of the isotopes for lipid synthesis. No incorporation of radioactivity into the squalene or the sterols of any sample occurred. It is concluded that Callinectes sapidus and Balanus nubilus are unable to synthesize squalene and sterols from acetate or from mevalonate. (Author)