Changes in plasma amino acid levels in a euryhaline fish exposed to different environmental salinities.
Previous studies have shown that Senegalese sole is partially euryhaline in the juvenile phase, being able to adapt to a wide range of salinities in a short-time period, due to changes at the osmoregulatory and metabolic level. This study aimed to assess the effects of acclimation of sole to a wide range of salinities, with a special emphasis on the role of plasma amino acids during this process. Sole juveniles were acclimated for 2 weeks to different salinities: 5, 15, 25, 38, and 55 g L(-1). Plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, osmolality, and free amino acids were assessed at the end. Changes in plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, and amino acids indicate that fish reared at 5 and 55 g L(-1) were facing extra energy costs. Amino acids seem to play an important role during salinity acclimation, either as energy sources or as important osmolytes for cell volume regulation.
Aragão
Cláudia
C
CIMAR/CCMAR, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal. caragao@ualg.pt
Costas
Benjamín
B
Vargas-Chacoff
Luis
L
Ruiz-Jarabo
Ignacio
I
Dinis
Maria Teresa
MT
Mancera
Juan Miguel
JM
Conceição
Luís E C
LE
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D054712:Salinity; D012623:Seawater / Q000032:analysis*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism*
D000596:Amino Acids; D012965:Sodium Chloride