Studies on Carotenoprotein in Aquatic Animals : I. Distribution of Carotenoprotein in Exoskeleton of Crayfish (Cambarus clarkii)

1. 0.6M硫安を用いてアメリカザリガニ甲殻より赤，紫，青の三種のカロチノプロテイン(以下CPと略記)を得た.精製後の可視部の最大吸収波長は紫CP615mμ，青CP655mμであった，赤CPの最大吸収は前二者に比較して不明瞭であるが，475mμ付近にわずかな吸収を示した.

2. 甲殻における三穫のCPの分布は部分によって異なり，尾部，頭胸部等の青い甲殻は青CP及び紫CPを多く含み，赤い甲殻では赤CPの占める割合が青い甲殻よりも大きいことを明らかにした.

3. CPを硫安水溶液で抽出後なお赤い色が甲殻に残ることから，甲殻の色はCPのみによるものではなく，非結合型のカロチノイドとCPとの共存によるものと考察した.

1. The blue and the purple carotenoproteins with absorption maxima at 655 and 615 mµ in 0.05 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.3 were obtained from the exoskeleton of the freshwater crayfish (Cambarus clarkii). Besides the above carotenoproteins, the red carotenoprotein which revealed a weak absorption around 475 mµ in visual region was separated in the exoskeleton.

2. Three kinds of carotenoproteins were distributed in various colored exoskeleton in different proportions. In the claws and limbs, the red carotenoprotein was found in somewhat larger degree than in the bluish carapace.

3. A fair amount of carotenoid-pigment remained in the exoskeleton after extraction by aqueous solution. This suggested the coexistence of carotenoproteins and unbound carotenoids in the pigmented exoskeleton.