Inducible cadmium-binding proteins (Cd-BP) in the mussel, Mytilus edulis, were resolved into two molecular weight components, designated Cd-BP10 and Cd-BP20, by gel-permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-75. Each of these two molecular weight components were further resolved into four subcomponents by DEAE-ion-exchange chromatography. All eight subcomponents bound cadmium and exhibited significant UV absorption at 254 nm and little absorption at 280 nm. Each subcomponent was purified and subjected to amino acid composition analysis. Two classes were identified, one having higher cysteine (23.9-26.6 mole-%) and lower glutamic acid contents compared to the other class (11.6-18.2 mole-% cysteine). All subcomponents have a relatively high glycine content (approximately 15 mole-%) relative to mammalian metallothioneins (approximately 8 mole-%). Although the Cd-BP20 have apparent molecular weights almost twice the Cd-BP10, the exact molecular relationship between these binding proteins is not known.