AN ELECTROPHORETIC ANALYSIS OF HEMOLYMPH PROTEINS OF SNAIL HELISOMA DURYI NORMALE EXPERIMENTALLY CHALLENGED WITH BACTERIA

Three groups of the snail Helisoma duryi normale were challenged with the bacteria Escherichia coli, Micrococcus roseus, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively, and bled at various subsequent time intervals. The hemolymph samples were subjected to total protein concentration determinants, detection for agglutinins and lysins, and electrophoretic analysis by use of the polyacralamide gel disc system. The variability in protein concentrations, not only among snails challenged with different species of bacteria and bled at different time intervals, but also among those identically challenged and simultaneously bled, and among those of the control series is reported, as is the absence of an acquired agglutinin and lysin. A comparison of the mean total protein concentrations in control and experimental snails reveals a gradual hypoproteinemia in the latter. Quantitative analysis of the 15 electrophoretically mobile hemolymph protein fractions revealed that there was an initial hypoalbuminemia associated with fraction 14 of all three experimental groups and with fraction 15 of the M. roseus-challenged group. There was also a permanent decrease of fractions 11 and 12 in all three groups of bacteria-challenged snails. No hyperglobulinemia was detected. Based on these results, it is concluded that if H. duryi normale is capable of antibody production its occurrence has not been detected. © 1969.