Adenine cycle in hepatopancreocytes of Helix pomatia (Gastropoda).

Intact hepatopancreocytes were obtained from hibernating or active purinotelic snails, H. pomatia (Gastropoda). When incubated with [14C]glycine or [14C]formate, they synthesized de novo purine compounds, including also adenylates, adenosine and adenine. Hepatopancreocytes resynthesized also adenylates and other purine compounds from [3H]adenine or from [3H]adenosine split by the H. pomatia cell enzyme to adenine; the resynthesis of ADP+ATP was proportional to adenine concentration. Thus all reactions of the postulated adenine cycle: AMP leads to adenosine leads to adenine leads to AMP occur in the intact hepatopancreocytes; this cycle could probably be responsible for maintenance of the high level of adenylates during winter sleep.