β-Alanine metabolism and high salinity stress in the sea anemone, Bunodosoma cavernata

During high salinity stress, beta -alanine accumulates to high levels in the sea anemone, B. cavernata . Following a salinity increase from 26 ppt to 40 ppt beta -alanine increased 28-fold from 1.5 to 41.9 mu moles/g dry weight. Both whole animal studies and experiments with cell free homogenates in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology, 1984-01, Vol.154 (2), p.181-186
Main Authors: KASSCHAU, M. R, SKISAK, C. M, COOK, J. P, MILLS, W. R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Bunodosoma cavernata
Cnidaria. Ctenaria
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrates
Marine
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Summary:During high salinity stress, beta -alanine accumulates to high levels in the sea anemone, B. cavernata . Following a salinity increase from 26 ppt to 40 ppt beta -alanine increased 28-fold from 1.5 to 41.9 mu moles/g dry weight. Both whole animal studies and experiments with cell free homogenates indicate that under high salinity conditions an increase in the rate of beta -alanine synthesis from aspartic acid as well as a decrease in the rate of beta -alanine oxidation are responsible for the observed accumulation of beta -alanine. The rate of aspartic acid decarboxylation to beta -alanine is about 3 times greater in anemones acclimated to 40 ppt than for those in normal salinity water (26 ppt).
ISSN:0174-1578
1432-136X
DOI:10.1007/BF00684143