Intermediary metabolism in a terrestrial planarian, Geoplana caerulea (Moseley)

Abstract

1. 1. Intermediary metabolism has been investigated in the terrestrial planarian, Geoplana caerulea (Moseley). 2. 2. Evidence is presented which suggests the presence of a complete, active tricarboxylic acid cycle and associated transaminase activity. 3. 3. Ornithine transcarbamylase is the only detectable enzyme of the ornithine-urea cycle, although 14CO2 incorporation into citrulline suggests that carbamyl phosphate synthetase is also present. 4. 4. It is concluded that the ornithine-urea cycle is not operative in G. caerulea. 5. 5. The evolutionary implications of these results are discussed. Show more