METABOLIC PATHWAYS OF AMMONIOGENESIS IN THE SHRIMP CRANGON-CRANGON L - POSSIBLE ROLE OF GLUTAMATE-DEHYDROGENASE

1. The oxidative deamination of glutamate by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) was determined in crude homogenates of the shrimp Crangon crangon. 2. The GDH activity of whole shrimps (1.92 .+-. 0.164 UI/g wet wt and 0.032 .+-. 0.004 UI mg protein) (.+-. SD) is probably sufficient to account for all the ammonia excretion of this species. 3. Starvation markedly influenced GDH activity. A 50% decrease of GDH activity was observed following 7 days of fasting but subsequently no further decrease in GDH activity was noticed during starvation up to a maximum of 17 days.