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. 1974 Aug;141(2):485–494. doi: 10.1042/bj1410485

A more detailed study of bile salt evolution, including techniques for small-scale identification and their application to amphibian biles

Ian G Anderson *, Geoffrey A D Haslewood *, Robert S Oldham †, Bernard Amos ‡, Laszlo Tökés ‡
PMCID: PMC1168103  PMID: 4218097

Abstract

1. Methods have been developed for the isolation and identification of small amounts of bile salts and of bile acids and alcohols obtained by solvolysis. These methods involve preparative and analytical t.l.c., purification on columns of protonated Al2O3 and Sephadex LH-20 and also g.l.c.–mass spectroscopy of solvolysis products. 2. Application to 29 species of frogs and toads has confirmed the constancy of bile salt patterns in a single species, including colour phases in two instances, and has revealed great variations between different species in some genera (e.g. Rana, Ptychadena) and little difference between widely distributed species in others (e.g. Bufo). 3. Taxonomic deductions should be made with caution and with regard to the physiological significance of the biochemical character considered. The molecular differences found might be interpreted as indicating variations in the rate of evolution.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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