THE NUCLEO-ALBUMINS (PHOSPHOGLOBULINS). 53 



posed of arginin in combination with amino-valerianic acid and an 

 unknown third substance (possibly a-pyrrolidin-carbonic acid). To 

 these, in the higher protamins, still other radicles are united, such 

 as lysin, histidin, and ty rosin. 



However this may be, the protamins have properties which war- 

 rant their classification as albumins. They all give the biuret reac- 

 tion, but neither that of Millon nor that of Adamkiewicz. They 

 contain no sulphur. They are precipitated from their aqueous solu- 

 tions by means of the alkaloidal reagents no matter whether the reac- 

 tion is acid, neutral, or alkaline. Like the albumins they can be 

 precipitated by salting (with sodium chloride and ammonium sul- 

 phate). For salmin the limits of precipitation with ammonium 

 sulphate are 5.5 and 7.5. On heating they are not coagulated. 

 Like the histons, the protamins are markedly basic and combine 

 with acids to form salts ; these can be obtained in crystalline form. 

 The sulphate is soluble in water and separates out on cooling or 

 upon the addition of ether as an oil. With albumins and the 

 primary albumoses they give rise to precipitates which, according 

 to Kossel, are very similar to the histons. 



The protamins are markedly toxic ; they impair the coagulability 

 of the blood and cause a material diminution of the leucocytes. 



The composition of some of the protamins is expressed by the 

 formulas : 



Salmin 



Kurajeff) 

 Goto) 

 Kurajeff ) 



Scombrin C 30 H 60 N 16 O 6 



Sturm C 34 H 71 N 17 O 9 



Accipenserin C 35 H 75 N 18 O 9 



Sturin C 36 H 69 N 19 O 7 (Kosse'l) 



Cyclopterin differs somewhat from the ordinary protamins, and 

 occupies a position intermediate between the histons and the pro- 

 tamins. It gives Millon's reaction, but does not form a precipitate 

 when the mixture is heated ; on cooling, it separates out, and then 

 presents a rose color. It contains much less oxygen than the pro- 

 tamins. Its formula has not been ascertained ; elementary analysis 

 has given the following results : 



Cyclopterin C = 42.0 H = 6.9 N = 22.0 



On hydrolytic decomposition the protamins are first transformed 

 into protones (which see). 



THE NUCLEO-ALBUMINS (PHOSPHOGLOBULINS). 



The nucleo-albumins were formerly regarded as a group of the 

 nucleoproteids, in which the albuminous component was united 

 with a special phosphorus-containing radicle. This latter was 

 thought to be analogous to the nucleinic radicle of the true nucleo- 

 proteids ; but as it did not yield the characteristic decomposition- 

 products of these, viz., xanthin bases, pyrimidin derivatives, and 



