1-methyladenine biosynthesis in starfish ovary: action of gonad-stimulating hormone in methylation.
Gonad-stimulating substance, a hormonal peptide released from the nervous system of starfishes, acts on the ovary to produce 1-methyladenine, an inducer of oocyte maturation. Addition of methionine to the incubation mixture of ovarian fragments and gonad-stimulating substance enhanced the production of 1-methyladenine, whereas ethionine inhibited it. Incubation of ovarian tissue with methionine alone failed to produce 1-methyladenine. Use of a radioactive label showed that methionine is a methyl donor in the biosynthesis of 1-methyladenine, suggesting that gonad-stimulating substance is involved in the methylation process.
Shirai
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Kanatani
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Taguchi
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