ISSN:
1432-1793
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract We found blood from bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) to have a significantly higher O2 affinity than blood from other tunas. Its P50 (partial pressure of oxygen, PO2 required to reach 50% saturation) was 1.6 to 2.0 kPa (12 to 15 mmHg) when equilibrated with 0.5% CO2. Previous studies employing similar methodologies found blood from yellowfin tuna (T. albacares), skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), and kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis) to have a P50 of 2.8 to 3.1 kPa (21 to 23 mmHg). These observations suggest that bigeye tuna are more tolerant of low ambient oxygen than other tuna species, and support similar conclusions derived from laboratory whole-animal studies, depth-of-capture data, and directly-recorded vertical movements of fish in the open ocean. We also found the O2 affinity of bigeye tuna blood to be essentially unaffected by a 10 C° open-system temperature change (as is the blood of all tuna species studied to date). The O2 affinity of bigeye tuna blood was, however, more affected by a 10 C° closed-system temperature change than the blood of any tuna species yet examined. In other words, bigeye tuna blood displayed a significantly enhanced Bohr effect (change in log P50 per unit change in plasma pH at P50) when subjected to the inevitable changes in partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) and plasma pH that accompany closed-system temperature shifts, than when subjected to changes in plasma pH accomplished by changing PCO2 alone. In vivo, the resultant large decrease in O2 affinity (i.e. the increase in P50) that occurs as the blood of bigeye tuna is warmed during its passage through the vascular counter-current heat exchangers ensures adequate rates of O2 off-loading in the swimming muscles of this high-energy-demand teleost.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002270000255
