74 OTTO GLASER. 



ules, left no doubt that hydrolysis was proceeding at a faster rate 

 in secretion than in sea-water. In the controls an occasional 

 globule did turn purple, but this was to be expected from our in- 

 ability to prepare, or, for that matter, even to keep, a fatty oil 

 absolutely neutral. 



VI. 



It may be taken as demonstrated, then, that Arbacia egg-secre- 

 tion has the power to hydrolyze higher fats. Since neither whale 

 oil, olive oil, nor ethyl butyrate occur in sea-urchin eggs, we must 

 conclude that the lipase present is non-specific. 



The question now remains whether the lipolysin first isolated by 

 Miss Woodward also affects the hydrolysis of higher fats. 



To determine this, I repeated the experiments described in the 

 preceding section, using, in place of egg-secretion, sea-water solu- 

 tions of the lipolysin precipitate. The concentrations employed 

 were, roughly, 25 milligrams in 10 c.c. of solvent. To report the 

 results in detail would be a mere reiteration of the experiments 

 with egg-secretion. In every case the evidence for hydrolysis was 

 positive, and leads to the conclusion that the precipitated lipolysin 

 is, or contains, that enzyme which in unmodified egg-water is re- 

 sponsible for the hydrolysis of the higher fats. 



AMHERST COLLEGE, 

 February 4, 1922. 



LITERATURE CITED. 

 Kanitz, A. 



'03 Berichte d. Deutschen Chem. Gesellschaft., Vol. 36, p. 400. 

 Glikin, W. 



'09 Oppenheimer's Handb. d. Biochemie, Vol. I, p. no. 

 Hammarsten, 0. 



'12 Physiological Chemistry. John Wiley and Sons, 1912, p. 230. 

 Richards, A., and Woodward, A. E. 



'15 Note on the effect of x-radiation on fertilizin. BIOL. BULL., Vol. 28, 



pp. 140-148. 

 Woodward, A. E. 



'18 Studies on the Physiological Significance 'of Certain Precipitates from 

 the Egg-secretions of Arbacia and Asterias. Journ. Exp. Zool., Vol. 

 26, pp. 459-501. 

 Glaser, 0. 



'21 Fertilization and Egg-secretions. BIOL. BULL., Vol. XLI, pp. 63-72. 

 Glaser, 0. 



'22 Note on the Synthesis of Ethyl Butyrate in Egg-secretion. Science, 

 Vol. LV, p. 486. 



