The Influence of Oxygen Deficiency and Electrical Stimulation on the Concentrations of ATP, ADP, AMP and Phosphotaurocyamine in the Body-Wall Musculature ofArenicola marina

Abstract

Concentrations of ATP, ADP and AMP, as well as of phosphotaurocyamine in the body-wall musculature of A. marina were determined enzymatically and by means of isotachophoresis after 12, 24 and 48 h of experimental anaerobiosis and after electrical stimulation under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Freshly collected lugworms contained 3.5-3.8 .mu.mol ATP, 0.8-1.0 .mu.mol ADP, and 0.3-0.5 .mu.mol AMP, as well as 4.5-4.7 .mu.mol phosphotaurocyamine/g wet wt (energy charge 0.81-0.85). After 48 h of anaerobiosis the concentration of ATP was decreased to 1/2, that of phosphotaurocyamine to 1/3 of the initial value, while the content of ADP nearly double and that of AMP trebled (energy charge 0.60-0.63). Electrical stimulation in the absence of O2 caused a rapid decrease of the ATP and phosphotaurocyamine to low levels corresponding to those found after long-term anaerobiosis; the ADP and AMP concentrations were slightly higher than those found after long-term anaerobiosis (energy charge 0.55-0.58).