• 1. The presence of N-acetyltransferase in the crayfish brain (Pacifastacus leniusculus) was investigated. The arylalkylamines tryptamine and 14C-serotonin, are acetylated by crayfish brain homogenates with the acetyl donors 3H-acetyl coenzyme A and N, S-diacetylcysteamine, respectively.2. Resolution of serotonin metabolites by thin layer chromatography (chloroform/methanol/glacial acetic acid, 93 + 7 + 1 and ethyl acetate) revealed only one radioactive product (N-acetylserotonin, Rf 0.31) after enzymatic reaction. For example, melatonin and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid could not be detected.3. This was also confirmed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography indicating the absence of monoamine oxidase and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity under the experimental conditions used.4. Inhibitory studies with cystamine suggest the involvement of heat sensitive disulfide compounds in the regulation of crayfish brain-N-acetyltransferase.5. N-acetylation seems to be a major pathway in the metabolism of biogenic amines in the crayfish central nervous system.

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NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Zoologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Zoology (hsv//eng)

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