Date of Award

8-1972

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Dr. Francis B. Leftwich

Second Advisor

Dr. William S. Woolcott

Third Advisor

Dr. Wilton R. Tenney

Abstract

The tissue of Lophopodella carteri (Hyatt) was isolated, and the agent toxic to fish present in the tissues was extracted. A chloroform-soluble component and a water-soluble component were separated from the filtrate of the homogenized tissues. Each component was tested for toxicity. The chloroform-soluble component was found to be extremely toxic. The water-soluble component was originally non-toxic, but after several months of freezing and defrosting the tissue, this component became toxic.

The chloroform-soluble component was purified by thin-layer chromatography. Several lipid classes were obtained, of which one was toxic. This toxic class was further purified by thin-layer chromatography resulting in five fractions, one of which was toxic. Compound-specific stains were sprayed on the thin-layer plated in order to determine the chemical nature of the toxic and non-toxic classes and fractions.

Absorption spectra were obtained for the pigments associated with the toxic principle after pigment separation by paper chromatography. Similarities between the spectra of the unknown pigments and known pigments were observed.

Evidence indicated that the toxic agent found in the tissues of carteri is a lipoprotein closely associated with the two pigments, which have absorption sepctra to chlorophyll a and neo-B-carotene B.

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Biology Commons

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