Are the unusual morphological and physiological features of the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) paralleled at the molecular level? A study on A4 (muscle-type) isozyme of its lactate dehydrogenase.

A4 (muscle-type) Lactate Dehydrogenase was purified to homogeneity from Dermochelys coriacea. The steady-state kinetic features of the enzyme show remarkable similarities with those displayed by many other heterothermal LDH's from cold-blooded vertebrates.

Characterization of glutathione transferase from Gammarus italicus.

1. By using affinity chromatography and chromatofocusing analysis at least two major glutathione transferases, named GST II and GST III can be isolated from Gammarus italicus. 2.

Thermal behaviour of A4 lactate dehydrogenase purified from the heterothermic and sympatric vertebrate species Brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri), tench (Tenca tenca), smooth (Triturus vulgaris) and alpine newt (Triturus alpestris).

1. The A4 lactate dehydrogenase isozyme was purified to homogeneity from the tissues of Brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri), tench (Tenca tenca), smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris) and alpine newt (T. alpestris).

Lactate dehydrogenase from Lampetra planeri is composed of chains of unique type which show intermediate properties between the heart and the muscle isozymes of vertebrates.

1. Like other lamprey species, Lampetra planeri displays LDH chains of a single type. Since lampreys are more related to vertebrates than myxines, which do have usual A and B monomers, we suspect that either a gene inactivation or a gene loss occurred in the former group.

[Contribution to the knowledge of the biology of Cyclostomes: activity of aldolase in Lampetra planeri (Bloch) during its biological cycle].

It has been ascertained that in the Lampetra planeri (Bloch) the muscle and liver aldolase level in the last larval period in which lipids are accumulated strongly increases; this may be due to an increased synthesis or diminished degradation of the enzyme.