Identification of mollusc metabolites by natural-abundance ¹³C NMR studies of whole tissue and tissue homogenates

1. 1. Natural-abundance ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of whole tissue and tissue homogenates from a number of marine molluscs (bivalves and gastropods) are reported. 2. 2. All spectra contain resonances which can be assigned to free taurine and betaine. Prominent resonances from free glycine are observed in a number of spectra. 3. 3. Resonances corresponding to other free amino acids and to sugars are observed, although not assigned individually. 4. 4. The spectra are used to determine the levels of taurine, betaine and glycine in tissue from the bivalve mollusc Tapes watlingi. 5. 5. The usefulness of natural-abundance ¹³C NMR for the identification and quantitation of tissue constituents by direct observation of whole tissue or tissue homogenates is discussed.