Effects of ambient ion concentrations on gill ATPases in fresh water eel,Anguilla anguilla

Branchial activities of Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase (ouabain sensitive), Mg²⁺ ATPase (ouabain insensitive) and kinetic analysis of high and low affinity Ca²⁺ ATPase were measured inAnguilla anguilla that had been acclimated to demineralized water (DW, Ca < 10 M), freshwater (FW, Ca = 2 mM), and Low calcium freshwater (L-Ca, Ca = 0.9 mM). Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity decreased while ouabain insensitive activity increased when ambient Ca²⁺ decreased. Two kinetic forms of Ca²⁺ ATPase could be resolved in each environmental condition. The stimulation coefficients of both sites or enzymes were not affected by ambient Ca²⁺ concentrations. The maximal velocity of both the high and the low affinity Ca²⁺ ATPase was increased when external Ca²⁺ was decreased during acclimation. The low affinity Ca²⁺ ATPase and the Mg²⁺ stimulated enzyme could be a non specific enzyme accepting either Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺. Results are compared with previous results in the literature and in relation to the branchial morphology and ionic exchanges in fish.