Carbon dioxide efflux accompanies release of fertilization acid from sea urchin eggs

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Abstract
“Fertilization acid” is released from sea urchin eggs upon fertilization and decreases the pH of the surrounding seawater. In bicarbonate‐free artificial seawater flushed with nitrogen gas, the pH shift still occurs but returns to the original value in a few minutes, suggesting that the released acid is volatile. A likely candidate for a volatile acid is carbon dioxide released from the eggs. Therefore, the total CO2 content of seawater was measured pre‐ and post‐fertilization and was found to be correlated stoichiometrically with released proton equivalents, leading to the conclusion that fertilization acid is largely carbon dioxide. Manometric analysis of cell extracts and ashed eggs suggest that the carbon dioxide may be stored in the unfertilized egg as an inorganic carbonate.