THE OCCURRENCE OF TRIMETHYLAMINE OXIDE IN FUNDULUS HETEROCLITUS

Abstract

The trimethylamine oxide present in trichloroacetic extracts of Fundulus heteroclitus muscle was determined indirectly by the colorimetric determination of trimethylamine as the picrate salt. The oxide content increases with the length of the fish and, while spawning, females showed larger contents than males. Fundulus kept in fresh or sea water and fed an oxide-free diet, showed an increase in oxide content which reached a high value in 35–45 days. Afterwards the oxide content declined and then rose again. The liver has small amounts present which tend to vary similarly. Injections of the oxide were recovered mainly in the excreta and to a lesser extent in the muscle and liver tissues. Fundulus starved for a month showed an increase in the oxide content of the muscle. It appears that trimethylamine oxide originates in muscle tissue as a result of two processes, one exogenous and one endogenous in origin.