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Energetics of invertebrate anoxibiosis: direct calorimetry in aquatic oligochaetes
Author(s) -
Gnaiger Erich
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(80)80188-8
Subject(s) - energetics , citation , library science , computer science , physics , biology , ecology
Biochemical analyses of metabolic functions give insight into specific mechanisms of energy transformation in living organisms. In contrast, the biophysical approach by direct calorimetry reveals the sum of all the enthalpy changes associated with physico-chemical processes occuring within a defined system. Therefore the calorimetric method is particularly well suited for studying such complex phenomena as transitions between the aerobic and anoxic states of energy metabolism in invertebrates. I have made high-resolution calorimetric measurements on the oligochaete ~u~~ric~~us variegatus. Anoxic heat production is reduced by 40-80%, rela” tive to aerobic rates. ~nterexperimental differences in anoxic heat production indicate different steady state levels of activity during anoxia. Enthalpy changes as calculated from biochemical data [ 1,2] explain