108 



PIERRE H. GONSE 



420 (-"1430 



540 r 



I ' ' 'I ' I 570 mfj 



Fig. 6. Difference spectrum of dog spermatozoa at liquid nitrogen 

 temperature. Cells washed and suspended in RP-GG, pH 7.3. Sample M6. 

 (Antimycin A 1.5 X 10~ 5 M, lactate 10 mM) — (lactate 10 mM); both 

 aerobic. 



succinic oxidase preparations with somewhat analogous properties 

 to those found here and absorption bands at 566, 560, and 556 m/x 

 (room temperature). 



In bull spermatozoa we have thus demonstrated the same respira- 

 tory pigments as those in body tissues: cytochromes a.^ , a, c, c l , b, 

 flavoproteins, and pyridine nucleotides. At the more detailed level, 

 distinctions can be drawn between true cytochrome b, antimycin- 

 sensitive cytochrome b, and mitochrome. 



Few data are available on the respiratory pigments of Spisula tis- 

 sues. A report by Kawai (1959) described cytochromes a s , a, and c in 

 lamellibranchs, whereas only one (b) cytochrome was found which 

 was considered as true cytochrome b. The technique used (room tem- 

 perature) did not permit detection of close components. According 

 to Bonner (1961) muscle tissues of scallops and Spisula show, at low 

 temperature, the presence of distinct 557 and 560 m/x cytochromes 

 (b) both of which are antimycin-sensitive. It seems, therefore, that 

 little if any difference is present in the set of pigments in the tissues 

 and spermatozoa of Spisula: cytochromes a s and a, cytochrome c, cyto- 

 chrome (b) (560 m/x at low temperature), cytochrome (b) (557 m^ at 

 low temperature and possibly identical with true cytochrome b), fla- 



