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Table 6 Molecular weight estimation and papain susceptibility testing for a sex-inducing substance

From: Sex-inducing effect of a hydrophilic fraction on reproductive switching in the planarian Dugesia ryukyuensis (Seriata, Tricladida)

Test food

Number of test worms that developed a pair of ovaries (%)

Number of test worms that developed a copulatory apparatus (%)

Fr. > 5-K MW + Fr. < 5-K MW

50/50 (100.0 ± 0.0)

32/50 (64.0 ± 4.0)

Fr. > 5-K MW

0/50 (0.0 ± 0.0)

0/50 (0.0 ± 0.0)

Fr. < 5-K MW

49/50 (98.0 ± 2.0)

28/50 (56.0 ± 4.0)

Fr. < 5-K MW after papain treatment

47/50 (94.0 ± 6.0)

32/50 (64.0 ± 4.0)

Retentate after dialysis of papain-treated Fr. < 5-K MW

4/50 (8.0 ± 8.0)

0/50 (0.0 ± 0.0)

Control of dialysis experiment

50/50 (100.0 ± 0.0)

27/50 (54.0 ± 2.0)

  1. The M0 + M10 fraction of Dugesia ryukyuensis was obtained as described in Figure 6. See Materials and methods for test food. Control of dialysis experiment: the < 5-K molecular weight (MW) fraction after papain treatment was placed under the same conditions except for dialysis. Means and standard errors of duplicated experiments are shown. Fr., fraction.