Section V, 1921 [41] Trans. R.S.C. 



On Pentose Compounds in Tissues of Marine Animals 

 By Cyril Berkeley 

 Presented by E. E. Prince, LL.D., F.R.S.C. 

 (Read May Meeting, 1921) 



The presence of pentoses has been recorded in the tissues of a 

 large number of terrestial animals. The sugar has most commonly 

 been found combined with the purine base guanine and phosphoric 

 acid to form guanyhc acid, which is the acid component of the ^. 

 nucleoproteins, and the wide distribution of pentoses in animal 

 tissues has usually been attributed to the presence of these com- 

 pounds. The only other pentose derivative whose presence has been 

 fully established is inosinic acid which occurs widely distributed in 

 muscle tissue and has a similar constitution to guanylic acid, but 

 contains hypoxanthine instead of guanine. In a recent paper the 

 writer brought forward evidence indicating that adenylic acid, the 

 corresponding compound containing adenine, should be added to the 

 list.' 



The physiological significance of these compounds is unknown, 

 but guanylic and adenylic acids have a very special physiological 

 interest since they have both been shown to be component parts of 

 plant nucleic acid. Doubt seems to exist as to whether they are to 

 be associated with nuclear substance in animal tissues. Certainly 

 no pentose has been found in animal nucleic acids whose composition 

 has been closely investigated. On the other hand statements suggest- 

 ing that the amount of pentose present in animal tissues is pro- 

 portional to their richness in nuclei are to be found in the text books. ^ 



The only complete survey of the pentose content of the various 

 organs in one animal which might bear on this subject is that carried 



'Berkeley, C, Journ. Biol. Chem., 1921, XLV, 263. 



^Thus: Abderhalden, E., "Text-book of Physiological Chemistry," first 

 edition, p. 22, "The quantity of pentoses contained in the separate organs varies 

 greatly and depends directly upon the amount of nucleic substances present," and 

 Mathews, A. P., "Physiological Chemistry," second edition, p. 173, "It seems 

 probable, though there is really nothing known about it, that guanylic and inosinic 

 acid may be in the cytoplasm of the cells in which they occur, though they may 

 be in the nucleus." On the other hand, Jones, W., "Nucleic acids; their chemical 

 properties and physiological conduct," 1914, p. 8, "It should not be understood 

 that j8. nucleoproteins are protein salts of nucleic acid, nor that they are constituents 

 of cell nuclei." 



