Snailine: a possible diagnostic reagent from a common marine snail, the southern periwinkle, Littorina angulifera.
A substance which strongly precipitates human serum proteins is released into the environment by the southern periwinkle, Littorina angulifera. Two-dimensional crossed immunoelectrophoresis revealed that the snail precipitin reacts with a number of human serum proteins, including 11 not detected by mammalian antiserum. The precipitin is readily collected in saline solution, which then is referred to as snailine, a potentially useful diagnostic reagent. Precipitins released into the environment by marine species may represent a little-known external immunologic system.
D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007123:Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; D011234:Precipitins; D012908:Snails / Q000032:analysis*
D001798:Blood Proteins; D011234:Precipitins