Phosphoglycopeptide, a major constituent of the spermatophoric plasma of the octopus (Octopus dofleini martini).

ABSTRACT

A phosphoglycopeptide, accounting for approximately 90% of the characteristically high content of acid-soluble organically-bound phosphorus in the octopus spermatophoric plasma (4 mg P/ml), was identified. Electrophoretic and chromatographic purification, followed by chemical and enzymic hydrolysis, yielded D-galactose phosphate as a degradation product. The galactose and peptide moieties of the compound were linked via a phosphoryl rather than a glycosidic linkage but the peptide was devoid of aromatic amino acids.