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A new araphid diatom genus, Synedropsis Hasle, Medlin et Syvertsen, is described from sea ice. The generitype, Synedropsis hyperborea (Grunow) Hasle, Medlin et Syvertsen from the Arctic, was first described as a species of Synedra, as was the antarctic Synedropsis fragilis (Manguin) Hasle, Syvertsen et Medlin. A second antarctic species of Synedropsis is a new combination of Cymatosira laevis Heiden in Heiden & Kolbe. In addition four new taxa, S. hyperboreoides Hasle, Syvertsen et Medlin, S. recta Hasle, Medlin et Syvertsen, S. lata Hasle, Medlin et Syvertsen and S. lata var. angustata Hasle, Medlin et Syvertsen are described from the Antarctic. The valve wall is laminar with uniseriate, often poorly developed striae and a wide sternum. Each valve possesses apical fields composed of slits. A labiate process is positioned near one apical slit field. The valve outline for most species exhibits considerable stadial variation. The girdle has several bands, most with one row of poroids close to the pars interior. Thus Synedropsis is closely related to the marine Fragilaria striatula Lyngbye except in the structure of the apical fields and the number of bands. Species observed in uncleaned material appeared in stellate or, more seldom, ribbon-shaped colonies. Synedropsis hyperborea is a common epiphyte on the ice-associated Melosira arctica Dickie in the Arctic. The antarctic species were found mainly in the bottom ice community, S. fragilis as an epiphyte on other diatoms.

The article discusses the new concept for surgery of necrotic ulcers using the krill enzymes. The krill peptide hydrolases represent a new and important alternative to mammalian or microbial enzymes for distinctive medical applications, such as debridemen.

Microscopical examination of near-surface eucaryotic microbial populations in circumcontinental waters of Antarctica indicated that nanoplankton (<20 μm diameter) dominated in regions with low chlorophyll concentrations (< 1 μg l⁻¹). About 30 % of the mean nanoplankton carbon consisted of heterotrophic flagellates. Heterotrophic microplankton carbon (> 20 μm diameter) was generally less significant. The variation in phytoplankton biomass was the result primarily of changes in cell density of pennate diatoms in the East Wind Drift, and of centric diatoms in the Weddell Sea and the Scotia Ridge region. Autotrophic and heterotrophic carbon as determined by microscopical analysis were compared with data for total particulate carbon, chlorophyll a, and adenosine triphosphate. Estimates for the C:chl ratio of autotrophs increased with decreasing concentrations of chlorophyll a, with mean values of 46 in bloom waters and 144 in 'blue water'. A C:ATP ratio for heterotrophic nanoplankton was estimated to be about 100, while that for heterotrophic microplankton may be lower. Algorithms, incorporating concentrations of chlorophyll a and ATP, are described which allow estimates of autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial biomass.

The krill Euphausia superba, unlike the amphipod, Eusirus antarcticus, tolerates being frozen into solid sea-ice at temperatures down to about-4°C. Cooled in air, the amphipod and the krill freeze and will die at temperatures of-11° and-9°C respectively, representing the supercooling points of the animals. The krill is an osmoconformer in the salinity range of 25 to 45 ppt, while the amphipod conforms in the salinity range of 26 to 40 ppt. The animals thereby lower the melting point of their body fluids in the vicinity of the freezing sea ice, preventing internal ice formation at low temperatures. The mean oxygen consumption rates, at raised and lowered salinities, were not significantly different from rates obtained in normal (35 ppt.) seawater, indicating that salinity has little effect on the metabolism of either species.

Development of a comprehensive picture of the genetic population structure of the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) has been hampered by a lack of genetic data from two major areas of the species' distribution, the Bellingshausen Sea and the Ross Sea. Evidence from earlier studies of a discrete “Bellingshausen Sea” population was based on anomalous allele frequencies in two sample sets that were collected near the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula rather than in the Bellingshausen Sea proper. In this paper we describe the first biochemical genetic data obtained on krill from the central Bellingshausen Sea and from the Ross Sea. Analyses of eight polymorphic loci in samples from these two areas have failed to provide any evidence of population structuring within the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, and have indicated that Pacific sector krill cannot be genetically discriminated from Atlantic sector krill or Indian Ocean sector krill. These findings further support the hypothesis of a single circumpolar breeding population of Antarctic krill.

Electrophoretic analyses of allele distributions at nine polymorphic gene loci were conducted in samples of Euphausia superba from the Bransfield Strait, off the South Orkney Islands, and from the south-eastern part of the Weddell Sea. The aim was to determine whether reported phenotypic differences between krill stocks from these areas could be linked to genotypic differences. Despite minor deviations of genotype distributions from Hardy-Weinberg expectations, the data gave no evidence of genetic heterogeneity over the sampled area, and the hypothesis of a single genetically homogeneous krill population could not be rejected. Genetic data for four selected loci were verified by using two different electrophoretic methods. Results from these two techniques yielded no discrepancies in interpretation of the data.

1. Autoproteolysis post mortem was examined at 0 degree C by following the changes in the major classes of krill (Euphausia superba and Euphausia crystallorophias) proteins and by liberation of peptides and free amino acids, and was based on experiments conducted on board expedition vessels in the Antarctic. 2. Primarily salt-soluble proteins were broken down during the first week of incubation, whereas water-soluble and insoluble proteins were degraded to a much smaller extent. The enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis presumably originate primarily from the digestive apparatus of the krill. 3. In general, the individual amino acids were released at rates corresponding to their relative occurrence in the bulk protein of the krill. Alanine was liberated in larger amounts than would be expected from the composition of the krill protein, and was evidently formed also by reactions other than proteolysis. Glutamic acid, and certain amino acids which presumably occur with high frequency adjacent to glumatic acid residues in the krill protein, were liberated only to a limited extent, and accumulated in smaller peptides. 4. During proteolysis, arginine seemed to be converted to some degree into ornithine, and on prolonged incubation conversion of arginine and lysine into their corresponding decarboxylation products, agmatine and cadaverine, appeared to take place.

Nine samples of Antarctic krill collected at seven localities in the Palmer Archipelago and Bransfield Strait west of the Antarctic Peninsula were analysed for genetic variation at eight enzyme loci. Despite significant among sample heterogeneity in allele frequencies, no convincing evidence was found to support the hypothesis of distinct genetic stocks of Euphausia superba in the investigated area. Allele frequency distributions could not be correlated to regional differences in size patterns. Allelic proportions at the PGI locus did not indicate that the investigated krill was genetically different from E. superba from the Weddell Sea region (from earlier investigations). Deviations of genotypes, or allele frequencies from those expected under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, however, may indicate regional, or yearly variation due to occasional selection.

The Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) possesses an ‘over-dimensioned’ digestive system, which is of vital importance for the survival of this euphaucean shrimp in the extreme marine environment. The isolated enzymes contain a well-balanced mixture of both endo- and exopeptidases, assuring fast and complete breakdown of proteinaceous material. These unique properties have now been shown to be extremely valuable for the effective removal of necrotic debris, fibrin or blood crusts in vitro. Therefore the krill enzymes should be considered as an important resource in the future management of necrotic wounds.

1. The hydrolysis of casein by peptide hydrolases of Antarctic krill, E. superba, has been 2. The peptide hydrolases studied included trypsin-like enzymes, carboxypeptidase A-type of enzymes, carboxypeptidase B-type of enzymes, and an aminopeptidase isolated from Antarctic krill. 3. The trypsin-like enzymes seemed to play a decisive role in the degradation of casein, whereas the carboxypeptidase A, carboxypeptidase B and the aminopeptidase had limited effect when acting on casein alone. When combined with the trypsin-like enzymes, the exopeptidases effected enhanced release of amino acids from the protein. 4. Based on the pattern of amino acids relased from casein by a crude extract of krill, and by the isolated peptide hydrolases either alone or in combination, it is concluded that the purified peptide hydrolases examined comprise the major enzymes responsible for the autoproteolytic activity of krill at neutral- to weakly alkaline pH.

1. Two carboxypeptidase-A type of enzymes and two carboxypeptidase-B type of enzymes effecting hydrolysis of Hipp-l-Phe and Hipp-l-Arg respectively, have been purified from E. superba using gel filtration, affinity chromatography and FPLC-anion exchange chromatography. In addition an aminopeptidase has been partly purified. 2. The carboxypeptidases had mol. wts of 27,000 (carboxypeptidase A) and 31,000 (carboxypeptidase B). 3. Carboxypeptidase A exhibited a broad pH optimum with a maximum at pH 5.5–6.5, whereas carboxypeptidase B had a more narrow pH-optimum with a maximum at pH 7. The aminopeptidase had an optimum at about pH 8.7. 4. The carboxypeptidases were inhibited by the chelating agent 1,10-phenanthroline.

1. Three enzymes effecting hydrolysis of TAME have been purified from E. superba using gel filtration, affinity chromatography and FPLC-anion exchange chromatography. 2. The enzymes had molecular weights of 30,000 (Enzyme I), and 31,000 (Enzymes II and III), respectively, as estimated from SDS-PAGE. 3. pH-optima of about 8.2 were observed for all three enzymes. 4. The enzymes were inhibited by phenyl methyl sulphonyl fluoride (PMSF), tosyl lysyl chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI), whereas tosyl phenyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) had no effect on the activity. 5. The enzymes were stable at neutral pH, and only slowly inactivated at highly alkaline pH. Low pH rapidly inactivated all three enzymes. 6. Enzyme I liberated amino acids from casein, whereas Enzymes II and III did not; the latter two being true endopeptidases which effected enhanced amino acid production from casein when mixed with Enzyme I.

1. A survey has been made of the peptide hydrolase activities occurring in Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba. 2. A major protein hydrolyzing activity in the pH range of 6–8, and a minor activity at pH 3–4, were detected. 3. Temperature optima of approx. 50°C and 35–40°C, respectively were determined for the neutral and acid peptide hydrolases. 4. Trypsin-like activity, as well as carboxypeptidase A-, carboxypeptidase B-, and aminopeptidase activity were detected in extracts of krill. 5. Considerable variation in total hydrolase activity was observed in different catches of E. superba obtained from the same area. 6. The pattern of release of amino acids during autolytic breakdown of krill proteins was very similar in catches of krill exhibiting considerable differences with respect to total peptide hydrolase activity.

1. The distribution of lipid in the tissues of Euphausia superba has been examined by histological and chemical methods. 2. The total lipid content of krill from different catches may vary considerably, and the variations are probably due both to differences in nutritional status and maturity of the roe of female krill. 3. Female krill contained about twice as much lipid as male krill from the same haul. 4. The roe is the dominating lipid depot in female krill; in both male and female krill lipid-rich areas are found along the digestive tract, between muscle bundles and beneath the exoskeleton. 5. Both the phosphoglyceride- and triacylglycerol content of body fractions of E. superba varied in proportion to the total lipid content, thus supporting the contention that both phosphoglycerides and triacylglycerols serve as depot lipids in this species of krill.

In the austral summer of 1983, schools of krill from Bransfield Strait and Palmer Archipelago were analyzed for composition in terms of size frequencies and maturity stages. Juveniles dominated in all schools, and mature animals never exceeded 6.8% of the animals at any sampling site. Gravid females were encountered in only four out of 15 schools and were never more frequent than 1.8% of the animals in any school. Among subadults and juveniles the largest animals were found on the inside of Palmer Archipelago. Smaller nonreproductive animals were on the outside and in Bransfield Strait. A second group of juveniles, in a size range of 12-15 mm, was more pronounced north of Crocker Passage than south of the Passage. Their potential origin from a more slowly growing and later spawning Southern Weddell Sea population is discussed. Lack of reproductive animals in the Bransfield/South Shetlands vicinity may reflect yearly variation in this region. A hypothesis is put forward on the basis of this study that Palmer Archipelago is a nursery ground for krill spawned elsewhere. The sites of origin of this krill could be ascertained on the basis of studies of enzyme polymorphism in these populations.