Regulation of Uptake of Free Amino Acids in Eukaryote Marine Organisms

Abstract

Most of the work published concerning transport of free amino acids (FAA) in marine organisms has dealt with the kinetics of transport, specificity of carriers, mechanism(s) of translocation, and the role of various environmental variables in modifying observed influx or net flux rates. A great deal of attention has been devoted to demonstrating the reality of net entry of FAA and identifying the eukaryote under study as the role or predominant agent responsible for removing FAA from the medium. Therefore, preliminary to discussion of regulation of transport of FAA in marine organisms, the following points will be illustrated by citation of selected cases. Net entry of free amino acids (FAA) from dilute solution in seawater has been clearly demonstrated. Such entry can be shown to bee entirely or predominantly the result of eukaryote transport. Neither of these statements can be generalized, but both have been demonstrated in a sufficient range of particular cases to indicate that net uptake of FAA is a real and widespread phenomenon among marine invertebrates and algae.