COMPARATIVE CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM OF MARINE MOLLUSCS .I. INTERMEDIARY METABOLISM OF MYTILUS CALIFORNIANUS AND HALIOTUS RUFESCENS

1. 1. The extent of carbohydrate oxidation by intact tissues of two species of marine molluscs, Mytilus californianus and Haliotus rufescens, has been studied. 2. 2. The conversion of C14-labeled sugars, glucose, fructose and galactose to C14O2 and glycogen by M. californianus and H. rufescens suggests the presence of enzyme systems capable of utilizing these compounds at a slow but easily demonstrable rate to give classically expected results. 3. 3. Positionally labeled glucose produced results that suggest the operation of the pentose phosphate pathway. 4. 4. The presence of all of the enzymes leading from glucose to glycero-phosphate and lactic acid have been demonstrated, including key enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway. 5. 5. Notable differences when compared to mammalian tissues lie in the metabolism of trioses. The implications of these results are discussed. © 1968.