Functions and Functioning of Crustacean Hemocyanin

  • B. McMahon
Conference paper

Abstract

Although the oxygen binding properties of hemocyanin have been known for over 100 years the structure or functioning of this oxygen carrier molecule was poorly known at the time of Wolverkamp and Waterman’s (1960) chapter on respiration in Waterman’s “Physiology of Crustacea” and today, 25 years later, although our data base is much expanded our knowledge is still rudimentary compared with that for say mammalian Hb. In functional terms we have abundant evidence that the crustacean hemocyanins (Hcy) are, in fact efficient oxygen carrier molecules, usually of moderate oxygen affinity, higher than usual cooperativity but lower than usual oxygen carrier capacity. Other important roles in carbon dioxide transport, in regulation of hemolymph acid-base balance, and as hemolymph osmoeffector molecules, are now also known but have been very much less well studied.

Keywords

Oxygen Transport Blue Crab Hypoxic Exposure Oxygen Affinity Bohr Effect 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Aldridge JB, Cameron JN (1979) CO2 exchange in the blue crab, Cailinectes sapidus (Rathbun). J. Exp. Zool. 207: 321–328Google Scholar
  2. Angersbach D, Decker H (1978) Oxygen transport in crayfish blood: effect of thermal acclimation, and short term fluctuations related to ventilation and cardiac performance. J. Comp. Physiol. 123: 105–112Google Scholar
  3. Booth CE (1982) Respiratory responses to activity in the blue crab, Cailinectes sapidus. Ph.D. Thesis. University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaGoogle Scholar
  4. Booth CE, McMahon BR, Pinder AW (1982) Oxygen uptake and the potentiating effects of increased hemolymph lactate on oxygen transport during exercice in the blue crab, Cailinectes sapidus. J. Comp. Physiol. 148: 111–121Google Scholar
  5. Burggren WW, McMahon BR (1983) An analysis of scaphognathite pumping performance in the crayfish Orconectes virilis: compensatory changes to acute and chronic hypoxic exposure. Physiol. Zool. 56: 309–318Google Scholar
  6. Burnett LE (1982) CO2 excretion across isolated perfused crab gills: facilitation by carbonic anhydrase. Amer. Zool. 24: 253–264Google Scholar
  7. Burnett LE, Bridges CR (1981) The physiological properties and function of ventilatory pauses in the crab Cancer pagurus. J. Comp. Physiol. 145: 81–88Google Scholar
  8. Busselen P. (1970) The electrophoretic heterogeneity of Carcinus maenas hemocyanin. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 137: 415–420PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Butler PJ, Taylor EW, McMahon BR (1978) Respiratory and circulatory changes in the lobster (Homarus vulgaris) during long term exposure to moderate hypoxia. J. Exp. Biol. 73: 131–146Google Scholar
  10. Childress JJ (1971) Respiratory adaptations to the oxygen minimum layer in the bathy-pelagic mysid Gnathophausia ingens. Biol. Bull. 141: 109–121CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Freel RW (1978) Oxygen affinity of the heomlymph of the mesopelagic mysidacean Gnathophausia ingens. J. Exp. Zool. 204: 267–274CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. deFur PL (1980) Respiratory consequences of air exposure in Cancer productus, an intertidal crab. Ph.D Thesis. University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaGoogle Scholar
  13. Gilles R. (1977) Effects of osmotic stresses on the protein concentration and pattern of Eriocheir sinensis blood. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 56A: 109–114CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Johansen K, Lenfant C, Mecklenburg TA (1970) Respiration in the crab, Cancer maqister. Z. Vergl. Physiol. 70: 1–1Google Scholar
  15. Jorgensen D, Bourne G, Burnett L, deFur P, McMahon B (1982) Circulatory function during hypoxia in the dungeness crab, Cancer magister. Amer. Zool. 22: 958AGoogle Scholar
  16. Kerr MS (1969) The hemolymph proteins of the blue crab, Cailinectes sapidus. II. A lipoprotein serologically identical to oocyte lipovitellin. Dev. Biol. 20: 1–17PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Mangum CP (1980) Respiratory function of the hemocyanins. Amer. Zool. 20: 19–38Google Scholar
  18. Mangum CP (1983a) Adaptability and inadaptability among HCO2 transport systems: an apparent paradox. Life Chem. Reports 4: 335–352Google Scholar
  19. Mangum CP (1983b) Oxygen transport in the blood. In: Bliss DE and Mantel LH (eds) The Biology of Crustacea. Vol. 5. Academic Press, pp. 373–429Google Scholar
  20. Mangum CP (1983c) On the distribution of lactate sensitivity among the hemocyanins. Mar. Biol. Letters 4: 139–14Google Scholar
  21. Mangum CP, Towle DW (1977) Physiological adaptation to unstable environments. Am. Sci. 65: 67–75Google Scholar
  22. Mangum CP, McMahon BR, deFur PL, Wheatly MG (1984) Gas exchange, acid-base balance, and the oxygen supply to the tissues during a molt of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus. J. Crust. Biol. (In press)Google Scholar
  23. Mauro NA, Mangum CP (1982) The role of the blood in the temperature dependence of oxidative metabolism in decapod crustaceans. I. Intraspecific responses to seasonal differences in temperature. J. Exp. Zool. 219: 189–198Google Scholar
  24. McDonald DG (1977) Respiratory physiology of the crab Cancer magister. Ph.D Thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaGoogle Scholar
  25. McDonald DG, McMahon BR, Wood CM (1977) Patterns of heart and scaphognathite activity in the crab Cancer mag ister. J. Exp. Zool. 202: 33–44Google Scholar
  26. McMahon BR (1981) Oxygen uptake and acid-base balance during activity in decapod crustaceans. In: Herreid CF and Fourtner CR (eds) Locomotion and Energetics in Arthropods. Plenum Publishing Corp. pp. 299–355Google Scholar
  27. McMahon BR, Burggren WW (1979) Respiration and adaptation to the terrestrial habitat in the land hermit crab Coenobita clypeatus. J. Exp. Biol. 79: 265–281Google Scholar
  28. McMahon BR, Burggren WW (1980) Oxygen uptake and transport in three air breathing crabs. The Physiologist 23 (4): 928A McMahon BR, Wilkes PRH (1983) Emergence responses and aerial ventilation in normoxic and hypoxic crayfish Orconectes rusticus. Physiol. Zool. 56: 133–144Google Scholar
  29. McMahon BR, Wilkens JL (1983) Ventilation, perfusion and oxygen uptake. In: Mantel L and Bliss DE (eds) The Biology of Crustacea, Vol. 5: Internal Anatomy and Physiological Regulation. Academic Press, pp. 289–372Google Scholar
  30. McMahon BR, Sinclair F, Hassall CD, deFur PL, Wilkes PRH (1978) Ventilation and control of acid-base status during temperature acclimation in the crab Cancer magister. J. Comp. Physiol. 128: 109–116Google Scholar
  31. McMahon BR, McDonald DG, Wood CM (1979) Ventilation oxygen uptake and haemolymph oxygen transport following enforced exhaustive activity in the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister. J. Comp. Physiol. 128B: 109–116Google Scholar
  32. Morris S, Taylor AC, Bridges CR, Grieshaber M (1984) Respiratory properties of the haemolymph of the intertidal prawn Palaemon eleqans Rathke. J. Exp. Zool. (In press)Google Scholar
  33. Piiper J, Scheid P (1972) Maximum gas transfer efficacy of models for fish gills, avian lungs and mammalian lungs. Resp. Physiol. 14: 115–124Google Scholar
  34. Randall DJ, Wood CM (1981) Carbon dioxide excretion in the land crab Cardisoma carnifex. J. Exp. Zool. 218: 37–44Google Scholar
  35. Rutledge PS (1981) Circulation and oxygen transport during activity in the crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus. Am. J. Physiol. 240: R-9–R0105Google Scholar
  36. Snyder GK, Mangum CP (1982) The relationship between the capacity for oxygen transport, size, shape and aggregation state of an extracellular oxygen carrier. In: Joseph and Celia Bonaventura, and Shirley Tesh (eds) Physiology and Biochemistry of Horseshoe Crabs. A.R. Liss, New York.Google Scholar
  37. Spoek GL (1974) The relationship between blood haemocyanin level, oxygen uptake and the heart-beat and scaphognathite-beat frequencies in the lobster Homarus qammarus. Neth. J. Sea Res. 8: 1–26CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Truchot JP (1975) Factors controlling the in vitro and in vivo oxygen affinity of the hemocyanin in the crab Carcinus maenas (L.) Respir. Physiol. 24: 173–189Google Scholar
  39. Truchot JP (1976) Carbon dioxide combining properties of the blood of the shore crab Carcinus maenas (L.): CO2 dissociation curves and Haldane effect. Comp. Physiol. 112: 283–293CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. Truchot JP (1980) Lactate increases the oxygen affinity of crab hemocyanin. J. Exp. Zool. 214: 205–208CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Truchot JP (1981) L’équilibre acido-basique extracellulaire et sa régulation dans les divers groupes animaux. J. Physiol. (Paris) 77: 529–580Google Scholar
  42. Truchot JP (1983) Regulation of Acid-Base Balance. In: Mantel LH and Bliss DE (eds) The Biology of Crustacea, Vol. 5: Internal Anatomy and Physiological Regulation. Academic Press, pp. 431–456Google Scholar
  43. Weber RE, Hagerman L (1981) Oxygen and carbon dioxide transporting qualities of hemocyanin in the hemolymph of a natant decapod Palaemon adspersus. J. Comp. Phsyiol. 145: 21–27Google Scholar
  44. Wheatly MG, McMahon BR (1982) Responses to hypersaline exposure in the euryhaline crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus. II. Modulation of haemocyanin oxygen binding in vitro and in vivo. J. Exp. Biol. 99: 447–467Google Scholar
  45. Wheatly MG, Taylor EW (1981) The effect of progressive hypoxia on heart rate, ventilation, respiratory gas exchange and acid-base status in the crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes. J. Exp. Biol. 92: 125–141Google Scholar
  46. Wheatly MG, McMahon BR, Burggren WW, Pinder A (1985) Hemolymph acid-base and blood gas status during sustained voluntary activity in the land hermit crab Coenobita compressus. H. Milne Edwards. Submitted to Journal of Experimental Biology, 1984Google Scholar
  47. Wilkes PRH, McMahon BR (1982a) Effect of maintained hypoxic exposure on the crayfish Orconectes rusticus. II Ventilatory, acid-base and cardiovascular adjustments. J. Exp. Biol. 98: 119–137Google Scholar
  48. Wilkes PRH, McMahon BR (1982b) Effect of maintained hypoxic exposure on the crayfish Orconectes rusticus. II. Modulation of haemocyanin oxygen affinity. J. Exp. Biol. 98: 139–149Google Scholar
  49. Wolverkamp HP, Waterman TH (1960) Respiration. In: Waterman TH (ed) The Physiology of crustacea. Vol. 1. Academic Press, pp. 35–10Google Scholar
  50. Wood CM, McMahon BR, McDonald DG (1979) Respiratory gas exchange in the resting starry flounder Platichthys stellatus: Comparison with other teleosts. J. Exp. Biol. 78: 167–179Google Scholar
  51. Wood CM, Randall DJ (1981) Haemolymph gas transport, acid-base regulation, and anaerobic metabolism during exercise in the land crab Cardisoma carnifex. J. Exp. Zool. 218: 23–35Google Scholar
  52. Zatta P (1981) Protein-lipid interactions in Carcinus maenas hemocyanin. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 69B: 731–73Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1985

Authors and Affiliations

  • B. McMahon

There are no affiliations available

Personalised recommendations