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Journal of Experimental Biology 60,267-273 (1974)
Published by Company of Biologists 1974

The Effect of Low-Calcium Sea Water and Actinomycin-D on the Sodium Metabolism of Fundulus Kansae

WARREN R. FLEMING ¹, JAMES NICHOLS ², and W. T. W. POTTS ¹

¹ Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. 65201. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, England
² Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo. 65201. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, England; Biology Department, State College of Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas 72032

1. Transfer of Fundulus kansae from 80 % sea water to a low-calcium water containing 0.4 mm/1 Ca²⁺ caused a sharp rise in sodium efflux and a change in the kinetic pattern of efflux.

2. A transient drop in whole-body sodium levels occurred within 1-2 days after transfer. Both sodium and potassium levels were normal after 9 days exposure to low-calcium saline.

3. Transfer into low-calcium sea water increased the rate of incorporation of radio-phosphorus into gill RNA.

4. Actinomycin-D blocked the stimulation of sodium turnover after transfer into low-calcium sea water. It did not affect the whole-body sodium or potassium levels of long-term sea-water adapted animals.

5. Actinomycin-D reduced the sodium efflux of short-term sea-water adapted animals regardless of the environmental calcium concentration. The antibiotic also upset the balance of sodium fluxes in those animals held in low-calcium sea water.

6. It is suggested that in addition to the generalized effect of calcium on permeability to monovalent ions and water, calcium serves to inhibit some of the synthetic processes involved in regulating sodium metabolism, and also serves to stabilize the metabolic machinery already present.

Note:

Supported by N.S.F. Grant GB 23798.