Abstract
The nervous systems of most studied bivalves contain serotonin and dopamine in their ganglia that serve as neurotransmitters regulating various physiological functions such as heart rate, foot movement, reproduction and gill lateral cilia beating. GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the CNS of vertebrates and ganglia of many invertebrates. Its presence and functions have not been well studied in bivalves. Here we used a HPLC method with pre‐column derivatization and fluorescence detection to look for GABA in ganglia of Crassostrea virginica, Mercenaria mercenaria and Mytilus edulis. We also examined effects of GABA on beating of gill lateral cilia in C. virginica and M. edulis. GABA was detected in low ng amounts in each ganglia of each of the bivalves. In C. virginica and M. edulis GABA had no direct effect on lateral cilia activity when applied directly to the gill. However, when serotonin was applied to the cerebral ganglia, GABA, whether applied before or after serotonin, blocked the normal excitatory response of serotonin on the beating of the cilia. Furthermore, the GABA antagonist bicuculline methchloride blocked the effects of GABA in the cerebral ganglia of C. virginica. This study is showing that GABA is present and has a neurophysiological role in bivalve ganglia. This work was supported by grants 2R25GM0600309 of NIGMS, 0516041071 of NYSDOE and 0622197 of NSF.
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