For centuries marine bivalves (particularly oysters) have been thought to possess aphrodisiacal properties. Recently researchers have shown that the unnatural amino acid D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) occurs endogenously in several species of bivalve mollusks. D-Asp has also been found in the nervous and endocrine systems of many vertebrates and invertebrates where D-Asp has physiological importance as a neurotransmitter and as a hormone regulator. We have analyzed and quantified D-Asp in some marine bivalves such as oysters, clams and mussels. D- and L-Asp were isolated from homogenized tissues and separated from other amino acids by anion exchange chromatography. The D- and L-Asp were then derivatized with <i>o</i>-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) and <i>N</i>-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) to form a pair of fluorescent diastereomers which can be separated and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a reversed phase C-18 column, eluted isocratically with sodium citrate-methanol (NaCit-MeOH) buffer, and fluorescence detection. The results and significance of these analyses will be reported.

Analysis and quantification of D-aspartic acid in marine bivalve mollusks

249th National Meeting (2015)

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