A SURVEY OF THE EFFECT OF OSMOTIC DILUTION ON FREE AMINO ACIDS OF VARIOUS POLYCHAETES
- 1 April 1968
- journal article
- research article
- Published by University of Chicago Press in The Biological Bulletin
- Vol. 134 (2) , 252-260
- https://doi.org/10.2307/1539601
Abstract
Ten species of polychaetes, collected both intertidally and subtidally from Puget Sound, were maintained from 1 to 4 days in 100%, 75% and 50% sea water. Individuals of all species survived the experimental period in all cases. Measurements of amino-acid levels in the coelomic fluid and body wall were made, using the ninhydrin reaction. Lowered salinities result in decreased intracellular (body-wall) amino-acid levels in all species. This is primarily due to tissue hydration, although in some species, especially Nephtys ciliata and Abarenicola pacifica, hydration is minimal or absent and the decrease in amino-acid concentration must be due to an alternative process. In several species osmotic dilution causes a rise in coelomic fluid amino-acid levels, suggesting direct transfer of amino-acids from tissues to body fluid. In one species, Thelepus crispus, the coelomic fluid amino-acid level falls by more than 50%. The data indicate that polychaetes may use a variety of mechanisms to regulate their amino-acid levels during osmotic stress.This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- Variation de la Composante Amino-acide des Tissus et Euryhalinité chez Perinereis cultrifera Gr. et Nereis diversicolor (O.F. Müler)The Journal of Biochemistry, 1961