HYDATIGERA TAENIAEFORMIS - STROBILOCERCI HOOKS .I. COLLECTION AND PREPARATION - ELEMENTAL, AMINO ACID, AND INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC ANALYSES

A method is described for the collection of the rostellar hooks of Strobilocerci of Hydatigera taeniaeformis, Batsch, 1786, in sufficient quantity to allow chemical analysis. The preparative procedures do not appear to affect either the chemical or structural integrity of the hooks. Elemental and amino acid analyses of hooks resulted in values similar to those reported for keratin-like proteins from vertebrate sources and the hooks of protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus with some notable exceptions. The major differences observed were the markedly higher values for sulfur and cystine. These differences may reflect differences in the method of collection and purification of the hooks used for the two studies. The infrared spectrum of purified hooks of H. taeniaeformis Strobilocerci is similar to that of bovine hoof keratin and markedly different from that of insect chitin. The major organic component of the hooks of H. taeniaeformis strobilocerci appears to be a keratin-like protein. Preliminary data suggest that additional sulfur is present in an, as yet, undetermined form. © 1969.