430 CHEMISTRY OF TEE LEUCOMAJNS. 



acid. From the investigationg of Mathews it would seem that the 

 chromatin of these cells in the case of the herring is a combination 

 of equal molecules of clupein, Cj^H-Nj-Oj, and nucleinic acid, 



According to Kossel ' the group or combination which yields the 

 hexon bases is characteristic of all proteids and is therefore to be 

 considered as the nucleus of the proteid molecule. In the simplest 

 proteids like salmin and clupein this nucleus yields but one base, 

 arginin. In others, as shown in the table on p. 426, this nucleus is 

 a trifle more complex since it yields two bases, arginin and histidin. 

 And lastly, as it exists in the majority of proteids it yields all three 

 hexon bases. 



The simplest protamins are rendered a trifle more complex by the 

 addition of monoamido acids to the nuclear group. Thus, clupein 

 contains amido valerianic acid but no lysin. Again, cyclopterin 

 unlike other protamins contains an aromatic group which is split off 

 as tyrosin (8.3 per cent.). The complexity of the molecule may 

 continue to grow by the addition of other monamido acids like leucin, 

 glycocoll, tyrosin, asparginic and glutamic acid. Eventually, the 

 molecule is increased by the introduction of groups containing other 

 elements, such as sulphur, iron, and even iodin. The growth of 

 more complex proteids is seen in the fact observed by Kossel * that 

 protamins precipitate albumin and albumoses and give rise to histon- 

 like bodies. Kutscher has observed a similar behavior between 

 albumoses and other proteids. Again, the relatively simple proteids 

 unite with entirely different groups, such as carbohydrates yielding 

 glycoproteids ; or with nuclein yielding nucleoproteids ; with hema- 

 tin giving rise to hemoglobins. 



The protamins are isolated according to the method of Kossel ' 

 For this purpose the mature testicles are finely divided, shaken up 

 with water and strained through gauze. The milky liquid is pre- 

 cipitated by careful addition of acetic acid. The precipitated sper- 

 matozoa are boiled with alcohol and finally extracted with ether. 

 500 c.c. of a one per cent, solution of sulphuric acid are added to 

 each 100 g. of the dried spermatic cells and the mixture thoroughly 

 shaken for one quarter of an hour. The liquid is filtered off and 

 the residue is extracted six times in the same way. The addition of 

 salt favors the deposition of the precipitate. The combined aqueous 

 extracts are precipitated by the addition of three volumes of alcohol. 

 After decantation the precipitate of protamin sulphate is drained, 

 then dissolved in hot water and re-precipitated with alcohol. To 

 remove traces of nucleinic acid, the precipitate is dissolved in warm 

 water and reprecipitated with sodium picrate. The deposit is 



^Zeitg. physiol. Ohem., 25, 186, 1898. 



'ZeiU. vlm/ml. Chem., 22, 178. 



'Zexts. phyml. Chem., 22, 178 ; 25, 166 ; 32, 198. 



