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      Carbohydrates of the Organic Shell Matrix and the Shell-Forming Tissue of the Snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say).

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      The Biological bulletin
      JSTOR

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          Abstract

          Sulfated carbohydrates may play a role in the biomineralization of the molluscan shell. The carbohydrates of the extracted water-insoluble organic shell matrix (IM) of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata were identified as glucose, mannose, galactose, and N-acetyl-glucosamine, whereas the water-soluble organic matrix (SM) additionally contained N-acetyl-galactosamine. A specific lectin binding pattern of the matrix was obtained. One prominent protein of the SM, with a size of 19.6 kDa and a pI of 7.4, was shown to be a glycoprotein with terminal glucosyl or mannosyl moieties. The acidic constitutents of the matrix showed a variety of possible terminal sugars, indicating a heterogenous mixture of proteoglycans or glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and glycoproteins. At the shell-forming mantle edge, an alcian-blue-positive material was observed in the periostracum groove (PG), the belt, and apically in the cells of the outer mantle epithelium (OME). With the help of lectins, all sugars in question were detected in the PG and the belt, whereas the OME was bound by glucose/mannose- and GlcNac-specific lectins only. Although the complete set of GAGs will be produced in the PG and the belt, a very acidic fraction of GAGs and the 19.6-kDa protein can also be delivered by the OME.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Biol. Bull.
          The Biological bulletin
          JSTOR
          1939-8697
          0006-3185
          Apr 1998
          : 194
          : 2
          Article
          10.2307/1543052
          28570847
          f1803b06-9c7f-4f7b-946d-66e82469ede1
          History

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