University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Fall 1976 A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE HEMOGLOBINS AND INTESTINAL ISOZYMES OF THREE SPECIES OF EARTHWORMS KENNETH VASKEN KALOUSTIAN Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation KALOUSTIAN, KENNETH VASKEN, "A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE HEMOGLOBINS AND INTESTINAL ISOZYMES OF THREE SPECIES OF EARTHWORMS" (1976). Doctoral Dissertations. 1132. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/1132 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image. You will find a good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., was part of the material being photographed the photographer followed a definite method in "sectioning" the material. It is customary to begin photoing at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to continue photoing from left to right in equal sections with a small overlap. If necessary, sectioning is continued again — beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. The majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation. Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. 5. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfilms International 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA St. John's Road, Tyler's Green High Wycombe, Bucks, England HP10 8HR 77-3462 KALOUSTIAN, Kenneth Vasken, 1946- A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE HEMOGLOBINS AND INTESTINAL ISOZYMES OF THREE SPECIES OF EARTHWORMS. University of New Hampshire, Ph.D., 1976 Zoology Xerox University Microfilms , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 © 1976 KENNETH VASKEN KALOUSTIAN ALL RIGHTS RESERVED A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE HEMOGLOBINS AND INTESTINAL ISOZYMES OF THREE SPECIES OF EARTHWORMS by KENNETH V. KALOUSTIAN A.B., Boston University, 1969 M.S., University of Bridgeport, 1973 A THESIS Submitted to the University of New Hampshi in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate School Department of Zoology September, 1976 This thesis has been examined and approved. /? -V;-t/ 7 / / ^ * l s y J t__________________________c'u-vi'i Thesis director, Edward K. Tillfnghast, Assoc. Prof. of Zoology John E. Foret, Assoc. Prof. of Zoology 6'Id-ru& 'L^ y Ass 6 c / Prof, of Zoology (John\D. Po\luhoWich7'Assoc. Prof. of Biology, JniversityVf Bridgeport, Connecticut ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Edward K. Tillinghast for his friendship, advice, and assistance during the course of this study. I am particularly indebted for his guidance in the preparation of this manuscript. Special thanks is extended to the other members of my doctoral committee, Drs. John E. Foret, John J. Sasner, John J. Poluhowich, and Yun Tzu Kiang for their valuable suggestions and aid in the preparation of this manuscript. Special thanks also goes to Dr. Emery F. Swan for introducing me to the "red wigglers" (Eisenia foetida), and to Mr. Joseph Marelli for his efficiency and concern in supplying day to day materials needed for the completion of this research. To my wife, Sharon, my sincerest thanks for her patience and understanding. Her encouragement and confidence in my a b ilities made the completion of this work possible. To Bethie, thank you for the thousand smiles. This research was supported in part by the Central University Research Fund (#S24) of the University of New Hampshire. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES.................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................. vi ABSTRACT................................................................................................................ v ili I. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................... 1 I I . STUDIES ON THE HEMOGLOBINS AND INTESTINAL ISOZYMES OF SEVERAL EARTHWORMS............................................................................................................ 5 1. Introduction................................................................................................. 5 2. Materials and Methods .............................................................................. 6 3. Results ........................................................................................................... 12 4. Discussion..................................................................................................... 45 I I I . CHANGES IN INTESTINAL ISOZYMES AND NITROGEN EXCRETION IN THE ESTIVATING EARTHWORM, ALLOLOBOPHORA CALIGINOSA.................................... 53 1. Introduction................................................................................................. 53 2. Materials and Methods .............................................................................. 54 3. Results .............................................................................................. 57 4. Discussion..................................................................................................... 72 REFERENCES............................................................................................................ 77 iv LIST OF TABLES 1. Some physical characteristics of Lumbricus te rre s tris , Allolobophora caliqinosa and Eisenia foetida hemoglobins ................. 13 2. Summary of the distribution of isozymes in L.. te rre s tris , A. caliginosa and E_. foetida ........................................................................... 38 3. Classification of esterases by inhibitors.................................................. 39 4. Classification of the esterases in the digestive tract of L_. terrestris, A.- caliqinosa, and E,. foetida .................................... 41 5. Percent sim ilarity of the isozymes from the individual gut sections of JL. te rre s tris , A. caliginosa, and E_. foetida 43 6. Percent sim ilarity of the individual isozymes from L^. terrestris, A. caliqinosa and £. foeti da .................................................. 44 7. Nitrogen excretion pattern in the estivating and non-estivating A. caliqinosa .......................................................................................................... 58 8. Summary of the distribution of the isozymes in estivating and non-estivating A. caliqinosa ........................................................................... 70 9. Percent sim ilarity of the isozymes between estivating and non-estivating A. caliqinosa ........................................................................... 71 v LIST OF FIGURES 1. Polyacrylamide disc gel zymograms of the blood and hemoglobins from Lumbricus te rre s tris , Allolobophora caliginosa, and Eisenia foeti da ........................................................................................................ 15 2. Agarose gel zymograms of the hemoglobins from j_. terres tris , A. caliginosa, and £. foetida at pH of 6.9 and 8.6 with 10‘ 3 M EDTA................................................................................................................. 17 3. Isoelectric focusing of L.. terrestris, A. caliginosa, and E. foetida hemoglobins .......................................................................................... 19 4. Immunodiffusion of U te rre s tris , A. caliginosa, and E. foetida hemoglobins ................................................................................................ 22 5. Immunoelectrophoretic pattern of iL. terrestris and A. caliginosa hemoglobins .......................................................................................... 24 6. Immunoelectrophoretic pattern of L_. terrestris and JE. foetida hemoglobins ................................................................................................ 26 7. Zymogram showing the distribution of alkaline