The Journal of Experimental Biology 205, 253–263 (2002) 253 Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 2002 JEB3731 The archaeogastropod mollusc Haliotis iris: tissue and blood metabolites and allosteric regulation of haemocyanin function Jane W. Behrens1,3, John P. Elias2,3, H. Harry Taylor3 and Roy E. Weber1,* 1Department of Zoophysiology, Institute Biological Sciences, University of Aarhus, DK 8000 Aarhus, Denmark, 2School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia and 3Department of Zoology, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand *Author for correspondence (e-mail:
[email protected]) Accepted 30 October 2001 Summary 2+ 2+ We investigated divalent cation and anaerobic end- Mg and Ca restored the native O2-binding properties product concentrations and the interactive effects of these and the reverse Bohr shift. L- and D-lactate exerted substances and pH on haemocyanin oxygen-binding (Hc- minor modulatory effects on O2-affinity. At in vivo 2+ 2+ O2) in the New Zealand abalone Haliotis iris. During 24 h concentrations of Mg and Ca , the cooperativity is 2+ of environmental hypoxia (emersion), D-lactate and dependent largely on Mg , which modulates the O2 tauropine accumulated in the foot and shell adductor association equilibrium constants of both the high-affinity muscles and in the haemolymph of the aorta, the pedal (KR) and the low-affinity (KT) states (increasing and sinus and adductor muscle lacunae, whereas L-lactate was decreasing, respectively). This allosteric mechanism not detected. Intramuscular and haemolymph D-lactate contrasts with that encountered in other haemocyanins concentrations were similar, but tauropine accumulated and haemoglobins.