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Changes in plasma amino acid levels in a euryhaline fish exposed to different environmental salinities

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by projects STRESSAA—POCTI/CVT/49324/2002 (FCT, Portugal and FEDER), AGL2007-61211/ACU (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Spain), and Proyecto de Excelencia PO7-RNM-02843 (Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía, Spain). Cláudia Aragão and Benjamín Costas benefited from grants by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (SFRH/BPD/37197/2007 and SFRH/BD/38697/2007, respectively).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIMAR/CCMAR, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal

    Cláudia Aragão, Benjamín Costas, Maria Teresa Dinis & Luís E. C. Conceição

  2. CIMAR/CIIMAR, R. dos Bragas 289, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal

    Benjamín Costas

  3. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510, Cádiz, Spain

    Luis Vargas-Chacoff, Ignacio Ruiz-Jarabo & Juan Miguel Mancera

Authors
  1. Cláudia Aragão
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  2. Benjamín Costas
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  3. Luis Vargas-Chacoff
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  4. Ignacio Ruiz-Jarabo
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  5. Maria Teresa Dinis
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  6. Juan Miguel Mancera
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  7. Luís E. C. Conceição
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Correspondence to Cláudia Aragão.

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Aragão, C., Costas, B., Vargas-Chacoff, L. et al. Changes in plasma amino acid levels in a euryhaline fish exposed to different environmental salinities. Amino Acids 38, 311–317 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-009-0252-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-009-0252-9

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