ABSTRACT
Isolated photophores of Porichthys notatus, maintained in saline at 20 °C, do not luminesce and show an oxygen consumption rate of 0·07 ± 0·01 nmol min−1 photophore−1.
In the presence of 10−6 M-KCN, the photophores do not luminesce but the resting respiration decreases by about 50%.
In the presence of 10−5 M-KCN, some photophores do not luminesce and their respiration rate decreases by about 75 %. Others show a response and resting oxygen consumption slowly increases.
At high concentration (10−4 and 10−3 M), KCN induces a large light emission and increase in oxygen consumption.
The stimulatory effect of KCN on the photophore oxygen consumption is tentatively explained by an activation of the luciferin-luciferase system by calcium ions.
© 1984 by Company of Biologists
1984
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