Saxidomus

Saxitoxin was first isolated from Alaskan butter clam Saxidomus giganteuSy but is actually produced by the dinoflagellate, Gonyaulax spp (i,2). More than a dozen related toxins have been isolated by several groups including ours (i). All of the toxins have the same unique tricyclic perhydropurine skeleton, and there were various speculations about the origin of the perhydropurine ring (I). 

Berkeley96 investigated oxidase action in preparations obtained from the crystalline style of the mollusc, Saxidomus giganteus. He demonstrated the aerobic and anaerobic production of D-glucosone by separate systems, each of which comprised a component in the style and another in the diatomaceous food of the mollusc. The osone was identified through the formation of D-glucose m-nitrophenylosazone and by reduction with zinc... 

Butter clams, (Saxidomus gigantea), found throughout south-central and southeast Alaska, were commercially fished until the presence of PSP destroyed the industry. There are no plans for immediate utilization of this clam commercially because of the high PSP content of the meat, and lack of a rapid and suitable depuration procedure. 

We have prepared an anti-STXOL antibody and used it to develop an RIA for STX. This antibody does not cross-react with NEO thus limiting its utility for shellfish assays. However, the RIA can still be of value in neurophysiology studies which use STX (12,27) and in the studies of the PSP content of the Alaska butter clam (Saxidomus giganteus) which has previously been shown to contain predominantly STX (41). In addition, the RIA serves as a good precursor in the development of an enzyme immunoassay (42) for the PSP. 

Figure 5. Concentration of metals in soft tissues of the clam Saxidomus nuttalli...

Beitler, M.k., 1992. Uptake retention and fate of PSP toxins in the butter clam (saxidomus giganteus). Ph. D. Thesis University of Washington, Seattle, W.A. 

Price, R.J., Lee, J.S., 1971. Interaction between paralytic shellfish poison and melanin obtainted from butter clam (Saxidomus giganteus) and syntetic melanin. J.Fish.Res. Bd. 

Oshima, Y., et al., Heterogeneity of paralytic shellfish poisons. Three new toxins from cultured Gonyaulax tamarensis cells, Mya arenaria, and Saxidomus giganteus. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 57C, 31, 1977. Shimizu, Y, DinoflageUate toxins. In Marine Natural Products Chemical and Biological Perspectives, Vol. 1, Scheuer, P.J., ed.. Academic Press, New York, p. 1, 1979. 

Saxidomus giganteus, Mytilus californianus, Gonyaulax catenella... 

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