The influence of seasonal changes on energy metabolism in Mytilus edulise (L.).—III. Anaerobic energy metabolism

Abstract

1. 1. Seasonal changes in the accumulation of end products after 48 hr of exposure to air and in the composition of the free amino acid pool were studied in Mytilus edulis. 2. 2. The accumulation levels of succinate and acetate showed only weak seasonal changes. 3. 3. Conversion of succinate to propionate was high in summer and virtually zero in winter 4. 4. Alanine and most other free amino acids were present in relatively high concentrations in summer and early autumn and reached minimal values in winter and early spring. 5. 5. Exceptions were glutamate, aspartate and taurine, which showed hardly an season related changes and glycine, which changed inversely to the majority of the free amino acids. 6. 6. The anaerobic formation of alanine was inversely proportional to the endogenous concentration. 7. 7. The only other free amino acids affected by anaerobiosis were glutamate and aspartate, which respectively increased and decreased under these conditions.