Isozymes of tropical sea anemones

1. 1. The isozyme patterns of malate dehydrogenase (MDH, E.C. 1.1.1.37), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, E.C. 1.1.1.27), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD, E.C. 1.1.1.49) and superoxide dismutase (SOD, E.C. 1.15.1.1) of four tropical sea anemones, Zoanthus sociatus, Palythoa variabilis, P. mammillosa, and Condylactis gigantea, were studied using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 2. 2. When anemones were acclimated to the cold, both qualitative and quantitative changes of MDH isozymes of Z. sociatus and P. variabilis and changes in the G6PD isozyme patterns of Z. sociatus were observed. 3. 3. Starvation caused changes in MDH isozyme patterns of Z. sociatus and C. gigantea. 4. 4. The observed isozyme patterns are discussed with respect to physiological adaptation strategies to changing environmental conditions.