Changes in the brain levels of GABA and related amino acids in anoxic shore crab (Carcinus maenas).

Abstract

The effects of anoxia on the brain concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, aspartate, glutamine, alanine, and taurine were measured in the shore crab (Carcinus maenas) and compared with data previously obtained from anoxia-tolerant vertebrates. C. maenas was found to survive 12 h in nitrogen-bubbled water. The changes found in brain amino acid levels were strikingly similar to those seen in anoxia-tolerant vertebrates. Thus, during anoxia, the brain of C. maenas displayed considerable increases in the concentrations of GABA (2.4-fold increase after 12 h) and alanine (8-fold increase after 12 h). By contrast, the brain levels of glutamate, aspartate, and glutamine fell significantly during anoxia, whereas the taurine level remained unchanged. Because GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in arthropods (as well as in most animal phyla), it is suggested that the increased level of GABA could promote the anoxic metabolic depression displayed by C. maenas and thus prolong anoxic survival. It is also possible that the decreases in glutamate and aspartate levels could play similar roles.