Immunoreactive salmon calcitonin-like molecule in crustaceans: high concentrations in Nephrops norvegicus.

A salmon calcitonin (CT)-like peptide was characterized in various crustaceans by radioimmunological and radioreceptor assays. The highest levels of the molecule were found in the anterior part of the gut and the hepatopancreas of the Norway lobster: Nephrops norvegicus. Molecular sieving of this molecule suggested an apparent molecular weight of 4500 Da, that is higher than that of calcitonin. This peptide can be referred to as crustacean calcitonin as it inhibits the binding of labeled salmon CT to rat kidney membranes. The high concentration found in crustaceans suggested that this molecule could have an important role in this class of arthropods.