The Relationship between Myoglobin, Aerobic Capacity, Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity and Mitochondrial Function in Fish Hearts

The dynamic interactions between nitric oxide (NO) and myoglobin (Mb) in the cardiovascular system have received considerable attention. The loss of Mb, the principal O₂ carrier and a NO scavenger/producer, in the heart of some red-blooded fishes provides a unique opportunity for assessing this globin’s role in NO homeostasis and mitochondrial function. We measured Mb content, activities of enzymes of NO and aerobic metabolism [NO Synthase (NOS) and citrate synthase, respectively] and mitochondrial parameters [Complex-I and -I+II respiration, coupling efficiency, reactive oxygen species production/release rates and mitochondrial sensitivity to inhibition by NO (i.e., NO IC₅₀)] in the heart of three species of red-blooded fish. The expression of Mb correlated positively with NOS activity and NO IC₅₀, with low NOS activity and a reduced NO IC₅₀ in the Mb-lacking lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) as compared to the Mb-expressing Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and short-horned sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius). Collectively, our data show that NO levels are fine-tuned so that NO homeostasis and mitochondrial function are preserved; indicate that compensatory mechanisms are in place to tightly regulate [NO] and mitochondrial function in a species without Mb; and strongly suggest that the NO IC₅₀ for oxidative phosphorylation is closely related to a fish’s hypoxia tolerance.

Contrasting strategies of hypoxic cardiac performance and metabolism in cichlids and armoured catfish

The heart of tropical fishes is a particularly useful model system in which to investigate mechanisms of hypoxic tolerance. Here we focus on insights gained from two groups of fishes, cichlids and armoured catfishes. Cichlids respond to hypoxia by entering a sustained hypometabolism with decreased heart performance to match whole animal circulatory needs. Heart rate is decreased along with protein turnover to reduce adenosine triphosphate demand. This occurs despite the inherent capacity for high levels of cardiac power development. Although highly hypoxic tolerant at the whole animal level, the heart of cichlids does not have high constitutive activities of glycolytic enzymes compared to other species. Information is conflicting with respect to changes in glycolytic gene expression and enzyme activity following hypoxic exposure with some studies showing increases and others decreases. In contrast to cichlids, species of armoured catfish, that are routinely exposed to water of low oxygen content, do not display hypoxic bradycardia. Under hypoxia there are early changes in glucose trafficking suggestive of activation of glycolysis before lactate accumulation. Thereafter, heart glycogen is mobilized and lactate accumulates in both heart and blood, in some species to very high levels. Heart performance under hypoxia is enhanced by defense of intracellular pH. A functional sarcoplasmic reticulum and binding of hexokinase to the outer mitochondrial membrane may also play a role in cardioprotection. Maintenance of heart performance under hypoxia may relate to a tradeoff between air breathing via a modified stomach and circulatory demands for digestion.

Interrelationship Between Contractility, Protein Synthesis and Metabolism in Mantle of Juvenile Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)

Young juvenile cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) can grow at rates as high as 12% body weight per day. How the metabolic demands of such a massive growth rate impacts muscle performance that competes for ATP is unknown. Here, we integrate aspects of contractility, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism in mantle of specimens weighing 1.1 g to lend insight into the processes. Isolated mantle muscle preparations were electrically stimulated and isometric force development monitored. Preparations were forced to contract at 3 Hz for 30 s to simulate a jetting event. We then measured oxygen consumption, glucose uptake and protein synthesis in the hour following the stimulation. Protein synthesis was inhibited with cycloheximide and glycolysis was inhibited with iodoacetic acid in a subset of samples. Inhibition of protein synthesis impaired contractility and decreased oxygen consumption. An intact protein synthesis is required to maintain contractility possibly due to rapidly turning over proteins. At least, 41% of whole animal ṀO₂ is used to support protein synthesis in mantle, while the cost of protein synthesis (50 μmol O₂ mg protein^–1) in mantle was in the range reported for other aquatic ectotherms. A single jetting challenge stimulated protein synthesis by approximately 25% (2.51–3.12% day^–1) over a 1 h post contractile period, a similar response to that which occurs in mammalian skeletal muscle. Aerobic metabolism was not supported by extracellular glucose leading to the contention that at this life stage either glycogen or amino acids are catabolized. Regardless, an intact glycolysis is required to support contractile performance and protein synthesis in resting muscle. It is proposed that glycolysis is needed to maintain intracellular ionic gradients. Intracellular glucose at approximately 3 mmol L^–1 was higher than the 1 mmol L^–1 glucose in the bathing medium suggesting an active glucose transport mechanism. Octopine did not accumulate during a single physiologically relevant jetting challenge; however, octopine accumulation increased following a stress that is sufficient to lower Arg-P and increase free arginine.

Reversion to developmental pathways underlies rapid arm regeneration in juvenile European cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus 1758)

Coleoid cephalopods, including the European cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), possess the remarkable ability to fully regenerate an amputated arm with no apparent fibrosis or loss of function. In model organisms, regeneration usually occurs as the induction of proliferation in differentiated cells. In rare circumstances, regeneration can be the product of naïve progenitor cells proliferating and differentiating de novo . In any instance, the immune system is an important factor in the induction of the regenerative response. Although the wound response is well-characterized, little is known about the physiological pathways utilized by cuttlefish to reconstruct a lost arm. In this study, the regenerating arms of juvenile cuttlefish, with or without exposure at the time of injury to sterile bacterial lipopolysaccharide extract to provoke an antipathogenic immune response, were assessed for the transcription of early tissue lineage developmental genes, as well as histological and protein turnover analyses of the resulting regenerative process. The transient upregulation of tissue-specific developmental genes and histological characterization indicated that coleoid arm regeneration is a stepwise process with staged specification of tissues formed de novo, with immune activation potentially affecting the timing but not the result of this process. Together, the data suggest that rather than inducing proliferation of mature cells, developmental pathways are reinstated, and that a pool of naïve progenitors at the blastema site forms the basis for this regeneration.

The benefit of being still: energy savings during winter dormancy in fish come from inactivity and the cold, not from metabolic rate depression

Winter dormancy is used by many animals to survive the cold and food-poor high-latitude winter. Metabolic rate depression, an active downregulation of resting cellular energy turnover and thus standard (resting) metabolic rate (SMR), is a unifying strategy underlying the persistence of organisms in such energy-limited environments, including hibernating endotherms. However, controversy exists about its involvement in winter-dormant aquatic ectotherms. To address this debate, we conducted simultaneous, multi-day measurements of whole-animal oxygen consumption rate (a proxy of metabolic rate) and spontaneous movement in a model winter-dormant marine fish, the cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus). Winter dormancy in cunner involved a dampened diel rhythm of metabolic rate, such that a low and stable metabolic rate persisted throughout the 24 h day. Based on the thermal sensitivity (Q10) of SMR as well as correlations of metabolic rate and movement, the reductions in metabolic rate were not attributable to metabolic rate depression, but rather to reduced activity under the cold and darkness typical of the winter refuge among substrate. Previous reports of metabolic rate depression in cunner, and possibly other fish species, during winter dormancy were probably confounded by variation in activity. Unlike hibernating endotherms, and excepting the few fish species that overwinter in anoxic waters, winter dormancy in fishes, as exemplified by cunner, need not involve metabolic rate depression. Rather, energy savings come from inactivity combined with passive physico-chemical effects of the cold on SMR, demonstrating that thermal effects on activity can greatly influence temperature-metabolism relationships, and illustrating the benefit of simply being still in energy-limited environments.

Species-specific low plasma glucose in fish is associated with relatively high tissue glucose content and is inversely correlated with cardiac glycogen content

The relationship between plasma glucose concentration and intracellular glucose (liver, heart, brain, gill, gonad, intestine, kidney, spleen, white muscle) was determined in fish species with a range in plasma glucose (Atlantic cod, 5.06 mM; cunner, 3.8 mM; rainbow trout, 3.7 mM; lumpfish, 0.9 mM; short-horned sculpin, 0.6 mM; and winter flounder, 0.6 mM). The ratio of intracellular glucose/plasma glucose was always higher than one in liver for all species consistent with a diffusion gradient from the tissue to the plasma. In all other tissues in Atlantic cod, cunner, and rainbow trout the diffusion gradient was from the plasma to the intracellular space. In short-horned sculpin, the mean ratio in heart and white muscle exceeded one and in winter flounder the ratio was significantly greater than one at 5.97 and 2.92 for heart and muscle, respectively. The presence of an active glucose 6-phosphatase in white muscle could account for elevated amounts of free glucose. The white muscle of all species displayed phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and in winter flounder the activity was as high in white muscle as in liver suggesting that gluconeogenesis may be associated with a relatively high-muscle glucose content. The glycogen content was highest in liver followed by heart with lower amounts in all other tissues. There was an inverse correlation between heart glycogen content and plasma glucose concentration when all species were included. It is contended that in species with low plasma glucose, heart glycogen is accumulated at a slow rate under normoxia, to be called upon under hypoxic conditions when the gradient for inward diffusion is unfavourable for high rates of glucose metabolism.

Protein synthesis is lowered by 4EBP1 and eIF2-α signaling while protein degradation may be maintained in fasting, hypoxic Amazonian cichlids Astronotus ocellatus

The Amazonian cichlid Astronotus ocellatus is highly tolerant to hypoxia, and is known to reduce its metabolic rate by reducing the activity of energetically expensive metabolic processes when oxygen is lacking in its environment. Our objectives were to determine how protein metabolism is regulated in A. ocellatus during hypoxia. Fish were exposed to a stepwise decrease in air saturation (100%, 20%, 10% and 5%) for 2 h at each level, and sampled throughout the experiment. A flooding dose technique using a stable isotope allowed us to observe an overall decrease in protein synthesis during hypoxia in liver, muscle, gill and heart. We estimate that this decrease in rates of protein synthesis accounts for a 20 to 36% decrease in metabolic rate, which would enable oscars to maintain stable levels of ATP and prolong survival. It was also determined for the first time in fish that a decrease in protein synthesis during hypoxia is likely controlled by signaling molecules (4EBP1 and eIF2-α), and not simply due to a lack of ATP. We could not detect any effects of hypoxia on protein degradation as the levels of NH₄ excretion, indicators of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway, and enzymatic activities of lysosomal and non-lysosomal proteolytic enzymes were maintained throughout the experiment.

Low plasma glucose limits glucose metabolism by RBCs and heart in some species of teleosts

Within teleosts there is a species range in plasma glucose levels from undetectable to 20mM. At low plasma glucose levels the gradient from the extracellular to the intracellular space is decreased. The impact of this on glucose metabolism by RBCs and heart from species with different steady state levels of plasma glucose (Atlantic cod ~5mM; Atlantic salmon ~5mM, cunner ~1mM, lumpfish <1mM; short-horned sculpin <1mM) is the subject of this review. Under normoxia, at physiological levels of extracellular glucose, RBCs and heart produce lactate although the contribution of anaerobic metabolism to ATP production is small. Sustained lactate production from extracellular glucose appears to be the primary fate of extracellular glucose. In many cases, glycogen is not mobilized and the rate of glucose metabolism=two times the rate of lactate production. As such, alternative metabolic sources are required to fuel oxidative metabolism. Under hypoxia, hearts from Atlantic cod and rainbow trout increase rates of both glucose metabolism and lactate production, partially supported by glycogen reserves. But in lumpfish and short-horned sculpin hearts there is no change in rates of glucose metabolism. The most likely explanation is that glucose uptake is compromised in lumpfish and short-horned sculpin hearts due to a low diffusion gradient. Under these conditions rates of lactate production are well below that of Atlantic cod or rainbow trout. Energy demand must be reduced under hypoxia in lumpfish and short-horned sculpin hearts in order to maintain ATP balance.

Low levels of extracellular glucose limit cardiac anaerobic metabolism in some species of fish

There is a wide interspecific range in plasma glucose levels in teleosts from less than 0.5 to greater than 10 mmol l^-1 Here we assessed how glucose availability influences glucose metabolism in hearts of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) and short-horned sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius) under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. These species had plasma glucose levels of 5.1, 4.8, 0.9 and 0.5 mmol l^-1, respectively. Rates of glucose metabolism and lactate production were determined in isolated hearts perfused with medium containing physiological levels of glucose. Under normoxic conditions there was no significant difference in rates of either glucose metabolism (average 15 nmol g^-1 min^-1) or lactate production (average 30 nmol g^-1 min^-1) across species. Under hypoxia (12% of air saturation) there were significant increases in rates of glucose metabolism and lactate production in hearts from Atlantic cod (glucose-130; lactate-663 nmol g^-1 min^-1) and rainbow trout (glucose-103; lactate-774 nmol g^-1 min^-1); however, there was no change in rate of glucose metabolism in hearts from either lumpfish or short-horned sculpin and only increases in lactate production to rates much lower than the other species. Furthermore, Atlantic cod hearts perfused with medium containing low non-physiological levels of glucose (0.5 mmol l^-1) had the same rates of glucose metabolism under normoxic and hypoxic treatments. Anaerobic metabolism supported by extracellular glucose is compromised in fish with low levels of plasma glucose, which in turn may decrease performance under oxygen-limiting conditions at the whole-animal level.

Hypoxic Induced Decrease in Oxygen Consumption in Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) Is Associated with Minor Increases in Mantle Octopine but No Changes in Markers of Protein Turnover

The common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), a dominant species in the north-east Atlantic ocean and Mediterranean Sea, is potentially subject to hypoxic conditions due to eutrophication of coastal waters and intensive aquaculture. Here we initiate studies on the biochemical response to an anticipated level of hypoxia. Cuttlefish challenged for 1 h at an oxygen level of 50% dissolved oxygen saturation showed a decrease in oxygen consumption of 37% associated with an 85% increase in ventilation rate. Octopine levels were increased to a small but significant level in mantle, whereas there was no change in gill or heart. There were no changes in mantle free glucose or glycogen levels. Similarly, the hypoxic period did not result in changes in HSP70 or polyubiquinated protein levels in mantle, gill, or heart. As such, it appears that although there was a decrease in metabolic rate there was only a minor increase in anaerobic metabolism as evidenced by octopine accumulation and no biochemical changes that are hallmarks of alterations in protein trafficking. Experiments with isolated preparations of mantle, gill, and heart revealed that pharmacological inhibition of protein synthesis could decrease oxygen consumption by 32 to 42% or Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase activity by 24 to 54% dependent upon tissue type. We propose that the decrease in whole animal oxygen consumption was potentially the result of controlled decreases in the energy demanding processes of both protein synthesis and Na+/K+ ATPase activity.

High rates of glucose utilization in the gas gland of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) are supported by GLUT1 and HK1b

The gas gland of physoclistous fish utilizes glucose to generate lactic acid that leads to the off-loading of oxygen from haemoglobin. This study addresses characteristics of the first two steps in glucose utilization in the gas gland of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Glucose metabolism by isolated gas gland cells was 12- and 170-fold higher, respectively, than that in heart and red blood cells (RBCs) as determined by the production of (3)H2O from [2-(3)H]glucose. In the gas gland, essentially all of the glucose consumed was converted to lactate. Glucose uptake in the gas gland shows a very high dependence upon facilitated transport as evidenced by saturation of uptake of 2-deoxyglucose at a low extracellular concentration and a requirement for high levels of cytochalasin B for uptake inhibition despite the high efficacy of this treatment in heart and RBCs. Glucose transport is via glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which is localized to the glandular cells. GLUT1 western blot analysis from whole-tissue lysates displayed a band with a relative molecular mass of 52 kDa, consistent with the deduced amino acid sequence. Levels of 52 kDa GLUT1 in the gas gland were 2.3- and 33-fold higher, respectively, than those in heart and RBCs, respectively. Glucose phosphorylation is catalysed by hexokinase Ib (HKIb), a paralogue that cannot bind to the outer mitochondrial membrane. Transcript levels of HKIb in the gas gland were 52- and 57-fold more abundant, respectively, than those in heart and RBCs. It appears that high levels of GLUT1 protein and an unusual isoform of HKI are both critical for the high rates of glycolysis in gas gland cells.

Extracellular glucose supports lactate production but not aerobic metabolism in cardiomyocytes from both normoglycemic Atlantic cod and low glycemic short-horned sculpin

Fish exhibit a wide range of species-specific blood glucose levels. How this relates to glucose utilization is yet to be fully realized. Here, we assessed glucose transport and metabolism in myocytes isolated from Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and short-horned sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius), species with blood glucose levels of 3.7 and 0.57 mmol l(-1), respectively. Glucose metabolism was assessed by the production of (3)H2O from [2-(3)H]glucose. Glucose metabolism was 3.5- to 6-fold higher by myocytes from Atlantic cod than by those from short-horned sculpin at the same level of extracellular glucose. In Atlantic cod myocytes, glucose metabolism displayed what appears to be a saturable component with respect to extracellular glucose, and cytochalasin B inhibited glucose metabolism. These features revealed a facilitated glucose diffusion mechanism that accounts for between 30% and 55% of glucose entry at physiological levels of extracellular glucose. Facilitated glucose diffusion appears to be minimal in myocytes for short-horned sculpin. Glucose entry by simple diffusion occurs in both cell types with the same linear relationship between glucose metabolism and extracellular glucose concentration, presumably due to similarities in membrane composition. Oxygen consumption by myocytes incubated in medium containing physiological levels of extracellular glucose (Atlantic cod 5 mmol l(-1), short-horned sculpin 0.5 mmol l(-1)) was similar in the two species and was not decreased by cytochalasin B, suggesting that these cells have the capability of oxidizing alternative on-board metabolic fuels. Cells produced lactate at low rates but glycogen levels did not change during the incubation period. In cells from both species, glucose utilization assessed by both simple chemical analysis of glucose disappearance from the medium and (3)H2O production was half the rate of lactate production and as such extracellular glucose was not available for oxidative metabolism. Overall, extracellular glucose makes only a minor contribution to ATP production but a sustained glycolysis may be necessary to support Ca(2+) transport mechanisms at either the sarcoplasmic reticulum or the sarcolemmal membrane.

Metabolic rate and rates of protein turnover in food-deprived cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus 1758)

To determine the metabolic response to food deprivation, cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) juveniles were either fed, fasted (3 to 5 days food deprivation), or starved (12 days food deprivation). Fasting resulted in a decrease in triglyceride levels in the digestive gland, and after 12 days, these lipid reserves were essentially depleted. Oxygen consumption was decreased to 53% and NH4 excretion to 36% of the fed group following 3-5 days of food deprivation. Oxygen consumption remained low in the starved group, but NH4 excretion returned to the level recorded for fed animals during starvation. The fractional rate of protein synthesis of fasting animals decreased to 25% in both mantle and gill compared with fed animals and remained low in the mantle with the onset of starvation. In gill, however, protein synthesis rate increased to a level that was 45% of the fed group during starvation. In mantle, starvation led to an increase in cathepsin A-, B-, H-, and L-like enzyme activity and a 2.3-fold increase in polyubiquitin mRNA that suggested an increase in ubiquitin-proteasome activity. In gill, there was a transient increase in the polyubiquitin transcript levels in the transition from fed through fasted to the starved state and cathepsin A-, B-, H-, and L-like activity was lower in starved compared with fed animals. The response in gill appears more complex, as they better maintain rates of protein synthesis and show no evidence of enhanced protein breakdown through recognized catabolic processes.

Taurine depresses cardiac contractility and enhances systemic heart glucose utilization in the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis

Taurine is the most abundant amino acid in the blood of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, where levels can exceed 200 mmol L(-1). In mammals, intracellular taurine modulates cardiac Ca(2+) handling and carbohydrate metabolism at much lower concentrations but it is not clear if it exerts similar actions in cephalopods. Blood Ca(2+) levels are high in cephalopods and we hypothesized that taurine would depress cardiac Ca(2+) flux and modulate contractility in systemic and branchial hearts of cuttlefish. Heart performance was assessed with an in situ perfused systemic heart preparation and contractility was evaluated using isometrically contracting systemic and branchial heart muscle rings. Stroke volume, cardiac output, and Ca(2+) sensitivity were significantly lower in systemic hearts perfused with supplemental taurine (100 mmol L(-1)) than in controls. In muscle ring preparations, taurine impaired relaxation at high contraction frequencies, an effect abolished by supra-physiological Ca(2+) levels. Taurine did not affect oxygen consumption in non-contracting systemic heart muscle, but extracellular glucose utilization was twice that of control preparations. Collectively, our results suggest that extracellular taurine depresses cardiac Ca(2+) flux and potentiates glucose utilization in cuttlefish. Variations in taurine levels may represent an important mechanism for regulating cardiovascular function and metabolism in cephalopods.

Cloning and characterization of aquaglyceroporin genes from rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) and transcript expression in response to cold temperature

Aquaglyceroporins (GLPs) are integral membrane proteins that facilitate passive movement of water, glycerol and urea across cellular membranes. In this study, GLP-encoding genes were characterized in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax mordax), an anadromous teleost that accumulates high glycerol and modest urea levels in plasma and tissues as an adaptive cryoprotectant mechanism in sub-zero temperatures. We report the gene and promoter sequences for two aqp10b paralogs (aqp10ba, aqp10bb) that are 82% identical at the predicted amino acid level, and aqp9b. Aqp10bb and aqp9b have the 6 exon structure common to vertebrate GLPs. Aqp10ba has 8 exons; there are two additional exons at the 5' end, and the promoter sequence is different from aqp10bb. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggests that the aqp10b paralogs arose from a gene duplication event specific to the smelt lineage. Smelt GLP transcripts are ubiquitously expressed; however, aqp10ba transcripts were highest in kidney, aqp10bb transcripts were highest in kidney, intestine, pyloric caeca and brain, and aqp9b transcripts were highest in spleen, liver, red blood cells and kidney. In cold-temperature challenge experiments, plasma glycerol and urea levels were significantly higher in cold- compared to warm-acclimated smelt; however, GLP transcript levels were generally either significantly lower or remained constant. The exception was significantly higher aqp10ba transcript levels in kidney. High aqp10ba transcripts in smelt kidney that increase significantly in response to cold temperature in congruence with plasma urea suggest that this gene duplicate may have evolved to allow the re-absorption of urea to concomitantly conserve nitrogen and prevent freezing.

A rapid and convenient method for measuring the fractional rate of protein synthesis in ectothermic animal tissues using a stable isotope tracer

A method was devised to measure the fractional rate of protein synthesis in fish using a stable isotope labelled tracer (ring-D5-phenylalanine) instead of radioactive phenylalanine. This modified flooding dose technique utilizes gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS). The technique was validated by measuring the fractional rate of protein synthesis in the liver and white muscle of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and then tested by comparing the fractional rate of protein synthesis of fed and starved Arctic charr. The modified technique met the assumptions of the flooding dose technique and was successfully used to detect alterations in the rate of protein synthesis in fed and starved fish. This modified technique allows for studies on protein metabolism to be carried out in situations where the use of radioactivity is difficult, if not impossible.

Glycerol synthesis in freeze-resistant rainbow smelt: towards the characterization of a key enzyme glycerol-3-phosphatase

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) synthesize high amounts of glycerol in winter as a cryoprotectant through the direct dephosphorylation of glycerol-3-phosphate by a phosphatase, glycerol-3-phosphatase (G3Pase). Such a protein is well described in a few species including fungi, bacteria and plants but never studied beyond tissue homogenates in any animal species. Purification, identification and characterization of this enzyme is thus crucial for a better comprehension of the biochemical adaptation in rainbow smelt in response to low temperature and more generally of the biochemical mechanisms involved in glycerol synthesis in animals. This work presents the first attempt to purify G3Pase from smelt liver, the main site of glycerol synthesis for the whole animal. A partial purification was performed, and some characteristics of the protein determined, including optimal pH, K(m) and cation requirements. Smelt G3Pase is most likely a low molecular weight, Mg⁺-dependent and cytosolic phosphatase.

Extracellular glucose can fuel metabolism in RBCs from high glycemic Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) but not low glycemic short-horned sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius)

Energy metabolism was assessed in RBCs from Atlantic cod and short-horned sculpin, two species that have markedly different levels of blood glucose. The objective was to determine if the level of extracellular glucose impacts rates of glucose metabolism. Blood glucose level was 2.5 mmol l-1 in Atlantic cod and 0.2 mmol l-1 in short-horned sculpin, respectively. Oxygen consumption, lactate production, and glucose utilization were measured in whole blood and related to g RBC. Glucose utilization was assessed by measuring both glucose disappearance and by the production of 3H2O from [2-3H]-glucose. RBCs from both species have an aerobic based metabolism. In Atlantic cod, extracellular glucose is sufficient to provide the sum of glucosyl equivalents to support both oxidative metabolism and lactate production. In contrast, extracellular glucose can account for only 10% of the metabolic rate in short-horned sculpin RBCs. In both species, about 70% of glucose enters the RBCs via facilitated transport. The difference in rates of extracellular glucose utilization is related to the extremely low levels of blood glucose in short-horned sculpin. In this species energy metabolism by RBCs must be supported by alternative fuels.

Glycerol-3-phosphatase and not lipid recycling is the primary pathway in the accumulation of high concentrations of glycerol in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

Rainbow smelt is a small fish that accumulates glycerol in winter as a cryoprotectant when the animal is in seawater. Glycerol is synthesized in liver from different substrates that all lead to the formation of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P). This study assesses whether glycerol is produced by a direct dephosphorylation of G3P by a phosphatase (G3Pase) or by a cycling through the glycerolipid pool followed by lipolysis. Foremost, concentrations of on-board glycerolipids and activity of G3Pase and of enzymes involved in lipid metabolism were measured in smelt liver over the glycerol cycle. Concentrations of on-board glycerolipids did not change over the cycle and were too low to significantly contribute directly to glycerol production but activities of enzymes involved in both potential pathways were up-regulated at the onset of glycerol accumulation. A second experiment conducted with isolated hepatic cells producing glycerol showed 1) that on-board glycerolipids were not sufficient to produce the glycerol released even though phospholipids could account for up to 17% of it, 2) that carbon cycling through the glycerolipid pool was not involved as glycerol was produced at similar rates following inhibition of this pathway, and 3) that G3Pase activity measured was sufficient to allow the synthesis of glycerol at the rate observed. These results are the first to clearly support G3Pase as the metabolic step leading to glycerol production in rainbow smelt and the first to provide strong support for a G3Pase in any animal species.

Mechanisms of protein degradation in mantle muscle and proposed gill remodeling in starved Sepia officinalis

Cephalopods have relatively high rates of protein synthesis compared to rates of protein degradation, along with minimal carbohydrate and lipid reserves. During food deprivation on board protein is catabolized as a metabolic fuel. The aim of the current study was to assess whether biochemical indices of protein synthesis and proteolytic mechanisms were altered in cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, starved for 7 days. In mantle muscle, food deprivation is associated with a decrease in protein synthesis, as indicated by a decrease in the total RNA level and dephosphorylation of key signaling molecules, such as the eukaryote binding protein, 4E-BP1 (regulator of translation) and Akt. The ubiquitination-proteasome system (UPS) is activated as shown by an increase in the levels of proteasome β-subunit mRNA, polyubiquitinated protein, and polyubiquitin mRNA. As well, cathepsin activity levels are increased, suggesting increased proteolysis through the lysosomal pathway. Together, these mechanisms could supply amino acids as metabolic fuels. In gill, the situation is quite different. It appears that during the first stages of starvation, both protein synthesis and protein degradation are enhanced in gill. This is based upon increased phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and enhanced levels of UPS indicators, especially 20S proteasome activity and polyubiquitin mRNA. It is proposed that an increased protein turnover is related to gill remodeling perhaps to retain essential hemolymph-borne compounds.

Glycerol uptake is by passive diffusion in the heart but by facilitated transport in RBCs at high glycerol levels in cold acclimated rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) is a small fish that accumulates glycerol at low winter seawater temperatures. In laboratory-held fish, glycerol concentration typically reaches 225 mM in plasma and in all cells. Glycerol uptake by the heart and red blood cells (RBCs) was assessed by tracking [(14)C(U)]glycerol into the acid-soluble pool. In fish acclimated to 9-10°C a decrease in perfusion/incubation temperature from 8 to 1°C resulted in a decrease in glycerol uptake with a Q(10) of 3.2 in heart and 2.4 in RBCs. Acclimation to ∼1.5°C did not result in an adaptive enhancement of glycerol uptake as rates were unchanged in heart and RBCs. Glycerol uptake at 1°C was by passive diffusion in heart as evidenced by a linear relationship between glycerol uptake and extracellular glycerol concentration and a lack of inhibition by phloretin. In contrast, in RBCs, glycerol uptake with respect to glycerol concentration showed two linear relationships with a transition point around 50 mM extracellular glycerol. The slope of the second phase was much steeper and eliminated with the inclusion of phloretin. In RBCs from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), a related species that does not accumulate glycerol, glycerol uptake showed only a single linear curve and was not inhibited by phloretin. The data imply a strong facilitated component to glycerol uptake in rainbow smelt RBCs at high glycerol concentrations. We propose this is related to cyclic changes in RBC glycerol content involving a loss of glycerol at the gill and a reaccumulation during passage through the liver.

Glucose uptake and metabolism by RBCs from fish with different extracellular glucose levels

The aim of the study was to assess if mechanisms of glucose trafficking by red blood cells (RBCs) relates to species specific extracellular glucose levels. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), and short-horned sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius) had plasma glucose levels of 4 mmol l-1, 4.1 mmol l-1, 1.95 mmol l-1, and 0.73 mmol l-1, respectively. Glucose uptake by isolated RBCs was measured by the initial incorporation of [6-14C]-glucose and steady state glucose metabolism was determined by the production of 3H2O from [2-3H]-glucose. Saturation kinetics of glucose uptake and inhibition of both glucose uptake and metabolism by cytochalasin B and phloretin revealed that Atlantic cod, cunner, and sculpin RBCs all had a facilitated transport component to glucose trafficking. RBCs from Atlantic salmon showed a linear relationship between glucose uptake and extracellular glucose level but exhibited clear inhibition of glucose metabolism by cytochalasin B and phloretin suggesting a component of facilitated glucose transport that is more elusive to detect. The production of 3H2O was linear for at least 6 hr and as such presents a rigorous approach to measuring glycolytic rate. Steady state rates of glucose metabolism were achieved at extracellular levels of approximately 1 mmol l-1 glucose for RBCs from all species showing that within species normal extracellular glucose level is not a primary determinant of basal level of glycolysis. At physiological levels of extracellular glucose the ratio of initial glucose uptake to glucose metabolism was 1.5 to 4 for all RBCs suggesting that there is scope to increase metabolic rate without alteration of the basal glucose uptake capacity.

Vanadium accumulation in ascidian coelomic cells is associated with enhanced pentose phosphate pathway capacity but not overall aerobic or anaerobic metabolism

Some suborders of ascidians (sea squirts) accumulate remarkable levels of the heavy metal vanadium while others accumulate negligible amounts. The function of this vanadium is unclear, but enhanced pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) has been implicated in its reduction and accumulation. We compared aspects of intermediary metabolism in coelomic cells from ascidian species that have a wide range of vanadium accumulation including non-accumulators. All species appear to have similar aerobic poise with no apparent link to vanadium accumulation. Similarly, all species examined have a limited anaerobic poise that does not seem to relate to vanadium levels. Based on the activities of phosphoglucose isomerase and glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase we demonstrate that, relative to the capacity for entry into glycolysis, vanadium-accumulating species have enhanced capacity to metabolize glucose-6 phosphate via the PPP compared to non-accumulators. This finding provides the first comparative support for enhanced PPP capacity linked to vanadium accumulation in tunicates.

Expression analysis of glycerol synthesis-related liver transcripts in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) exposed to a controlled decrease in temperature

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) accumulate high glycerol levels to avoid freezing at subzero temperatures. Glyceroneogenesis is activated by low temperature and occurs in liver via a branch in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. In this study, carbohydrate and liver transcript levels of 21 genes potentially associated with glycerol production were assessed during a controlled warm to cold transition. Smelt were held at 8°C (warm smelt; non-glycerol accumulating) or subjected to a controlled decrease in water temperature from 8° to 0°C (cold smelt; glycerol accumulating) and sampled at the end of the temperature decrease and 1 mo later. In cold smelt compared with warm smelt, liver glycogen levels were lower and phosphoglucomutase transcript levels were higher. Plasma glycerol levels were higher and increased over time in cold smelt; in cold smelt, liver phosphofructokinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase transcript levels increased over time. These findings imply that glycerol production is being fueled by glycogen degradation and inhibition of pyruvate oxidation serves to channel metabolic flux toward glycerol as opposed to complete glycolysis. Plasma glucose and liver glucose-6-phosphatase transcript levels were higher. Lipoprotein lipase transcript levels were higher, suggesting enhanced lipid breakdown to fuel energy metabolism. Glutamine synthetase transcript levels were higher, perhaps to store nitrogen for biosynthesis in spring.

Molecular analysis, tissue profiles, and seasonal patterns of cytosolic and mitochondrial GPDH in freeze-resistant rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) is an anadromous teleost that, beginning in late fall, accumulates plasma glycerol in excess of 200 mM, which subsequently decreases in the spring. The activity of cytosolic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (cGPDH) is higher (i) in liver of smelt than in that of Atlantic salmon and capelin (nonglycerol accumulators), (ii) in liver of smelt maintained at 1°C than in that of smelt held at 8°-10°C, and (iii) in smelt liver than in smelt muscle, heart, brain, or kidney. In addition, transcript levels of cGPDH in liver peak in December during the onset of glycerol production and then decline over the remainder of the season. There are four cGPDH protein isoforms in smelt liver that are present regardless of glycerol production status. A minimum of four cGPDH gene copies identified by Southern blotting provide adequate genetic potential to yield multiple protein isoforms. A full-length cDNA for smelt mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPDH) was cloned and characterized. The 2,790-bp cDNA contains a 109-bp 5'UTR, a 2,193-bp open reading frame, and a 488-bp 3'UTR; transcripts are ubiquitously expressed in both warm- and cold-acclimated smelt tissues. Smelt mGPDH encodes a 730-aa protein that clusters with that of zebrafish and frog and contains several common structural motifs. mGPDH transcript levels generally increase late in the seasonal glycerol cycle, and mGPDH enzyme activity increases significantly during the glycerol decrease phase. Taken together, these findings suggest that liver cGPDH and mGPDH play a key role in the glycerol accumulation and decrease phases, respectively.

Osmotic pressure-adaptive responses in the eye tissues of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

PURPOSE

The rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), is a teleost fish, which avoids freezing by becoming virtually isosmotic with seawater. The effects that such massive changes in osmolarity have on both its visual system and its highly evolved and specialized circulation are not known. New knowledge about the osmotic adaptation of the rainbow smelt eye is highly relevant to the adaptation and survival of this species and to its ability to feed as a visual predator in the face of environmental pressures. Moreover, the molecular physiologic response of the smelt to osmotic stress might provide valuable insights into understanding and managing mammalian pathological hyperosmolarity conditions, such as diabetes. We undertook the present study to provide an initial assessment of gene expression in ocular vasculature during osmotic adaptation in rainbow smelt.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry with species cross reactive antibodies was used to assess blood vessel protein expression in paraffin sections. Western blotting was used to further verify antibody specificity for orthologs of mammalian blood vessel proteins in rainbow smelt. Thermal hysteresis and the analysis of glycerol concentrations in vitreous fluid were used to assess the physiologic adaptive properties of cold stressed eyes.

RESULTS

Glycerol levels and osmotic pressure were significantly increased in the vitreal fluid of smelt maintained at <0.5 °C versus those maintained at 8-10 °C. Compared to the 8-10 °C adapted specimens, the rete mirabile blood vessels and connecting regions of the endothelial linings of the choroidal vessels of the <0.5 °C adapted specimens showed a higher expression level of Tubedown (Tbdn) protein, a marker of the endothelial transcellular permeability pathway. Expression of the zonula occludens protein ZO-1, a marker of the endothelial paracellular permeability pathway showed a reciprocal expression pattern and was downregulated in rete mirabile blood vessels and connecting regions in the endothelial linings of choroidal vessels in <0.5 °C adapted specimens. Smelt orthologs of the mammalian Tbdn and zoluna occludens protein 1 (ZO-1) proteins were also detected by western blotting using anti-mammalian antibodies raised against the same epitopes as those used for immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSIONS

This work provides the first evidence that molecules known to play a role in ocular vascular homeostasis are expressed and may be differentially regulated during anti-freezing cold adaptation in smelt eyes. We propose a hypothesis that in a state of cold-induced hyperosmolarity, changes in ZO-1 expression are associated with the passage of small solutes from the plasma space to ocular fluid, while changes in Tbdn expression regulate the passage of proteins between the ocular fluid and plasma space. This work also provides fundamental insight into the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of the blood-retinal barrier to metabolically relevant compounds such as glycerol.

Identification and validation of differentially expressed transcripts in a hepatocyte model of cold-induced glycerol production in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

Rainbow smelt ( Osmerus mordax ) avoid freezing by producing antifreeze protein (AFP) and accumulating glycerol. Glyceroneogenesis occurs in liver via a branch in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis and is activated by low temperature. Hepatocytes were isolated from the livers of fish acclimated to 8°C. Cells were incubated at warm (8°C; nonglycerol accumulating) or cold (0.4°C; glycerol accumulating) temperature over a 72-h time course. Reciprocal suppression subtractive hybridization libraries enriched for cold-responsive transcripts were constructed at 72 h. Microarray analyses using a 16K salmonid cDNA array were performed at 24, 48, and 72 h. Expression of type II AFP and 21 carbohydrate, amino acid, or lipid metabolism-related transcripts were validated using quantitative RT-PCR. Type II AFP transcript levels were not directly temperature related. In cold cells, levels of the glucose synthesis transcript were transiently higher. Increased glycerol production was not associated with increased phosphofructokinase or cytosolic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase transcript levels. Levels of transcripts (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and aquaglyceroporin 9) associated with mobilization of amino acids to fuel glycerol accumulation were all transiently higher, suggesting a common regulatory mechanism. In cold compared with warm cells, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase [an inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH)] transcript levels were 20-fold higher. Potent inhibition of PDH would direct pyruvate and oxaloacetate derived from amino acids to glycerol, as opposed to oxidation via the citric acid cycle. Levels of a transcript potentially encoding glycerol-3-phosphatase, an enzyme not yet characterized in any vertebrate species, were higher following cold incubation. Finally, this study also presents the novel finding of increased glutamine synthetase transcript levels in response to low temperature.

Glycerol loss to water exceeds glycerol catabolism via glycerol kinase in freeze-resistant rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

Rainbow smelt accumulate high amounts of glycerol in winter. In smelt, there is a predictable profile of plasma glycerol levels that starts to increase in November (<5 μmol/ml), peaks in mid-February (>200 μmol/ml), and thereafter decreases to reach the initial levels in the beginning of May. The aim of this study was to investigate the respective role of the two main mechanisms that might be involved in glycerol clearance from mid-February: 1) breakdown of glycerol to glycerol-3-phosphate through the action of the glycerol kinase (GK) and 2) direct loss toward the environment. Over the entire glycerol cycle, loss to water represents a daily loss of ∼10% of the total glycerol content of fish. GK activities were very low in all tissues investigated and likely have a minor quantitative role in the glycerol cycle. These results suggest that glycerol levels are dictated by the rate of glycerol synthesis (accelerated and deactivated during the accumulation and decrease stages, respectively). Although not important in glycerol clearance, GK in liver might have an important metabolic function for other purposes, such as gluconeogenesis, as evidenced by the significant increase of activity at the end of the cycle.

Seasonal changes in hepatic gene expression reveal modulation of multiple processes in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) are freeze-resistant fish that accumulate glycerol and produce an antifreeze protein during winter. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qPCR) and subtractive hybridization studies have previously revealed five genes in rainbow smelt liver to be differentially regulated in winter in comparison with the fall when water temperatures are warmer. In order to further define the suite of processes that are regulated seasonally, we undertook a large-scale analysis of gene expression by hybridization of smelt cDNA to the salmonid 16K cGRASP microarray. In total, 69 genes were identified as up-regulated and 14 genes as down-regulated under winter conditions. A subset of these genes was examined for differential regulation by qPCR in the individual cDNA samples that were pooled for microarray analysis. Ten of the 15 genes tested showed significant change in the same direction as microarray results, whereas one showed significant change in the opposite direction. Fructose-bisphosphate aldolase B and the cytosolic NAD-dependent glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were among the most highly up-regulated genes, a result supporting a metabolic focus on glycerol synthesis during winter. Modulation of other processes, including endoplasmic reticulum stress, lipid metabolism and transport, and protein synthesis, was also suggested by the qPCR analysis of array-identified genes. The 15 genes were subsequently examined by qPCR for seasonal variation in expression over five sampling times between October and March, and ten showed significant variation in expression over the sampling period. Taken together, these results provide new understanding of the biochemical adaptations of vertebrates to an extremely low seasonal temperature.

White muscle 20S proteasome activity is negatively correlated to growth rate at low temperature in the spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor

The effect of temperature and mass on specific growth rate (G) was examined in spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor of different size classes (ranging from 60 to 1500 g) acclimated at different temperatures (4, 8 and 12 degrees C). The relationship between G and 20S proteasome activity in heart ventricle, liver and white muscle tissue was then assessed in fish acclimated at 4 and 12 degrees C to determine if protein degradation via the proteasome pathway could be imposing a limitation on somatic growth. Cardiac 20S proteasome activity was not affected by acclimation temperature nor fish mass and had no correlation with G. Hepatic 20S proteasome activity was higher at 12 degrees C but did not show any relationship with G. Partial correlation analysis showed that white muscle 20S proteasome activity was negatively correlated to G (partial Pearson's r = -0.609) but only at cold acclimation temperature (4 degrees C). It is suggested that acclimation to cold temperature involves compensation of the mitochondrial oxidative capacity which would in turn lead to increased production of oxidatively damaged proteins that are degraded by the proteasome pathway and ultimately negatively affects G at cold temperature.

Protein synthesis is lowered while 20S proteasome activity is maintained following acclimation to low temperature in juvenile spotted wolffish(Anarhichas minor Olafsen)

The effects of temperature on protein metabolism have been studied mostly with respect to protein synthesis. Temperature generally has a parabolic effect on protein synthesis with a maximum rate being observed at optimal growth temperature. The effect of temperature on protein degradation is poorly understood. The 20S proteasome is mainly responsible for the degradation of short-lived and oxidatively modified proteins and has been recently identified as a potentially good proxy for protein degradation in fish. The aim of this experiment was to examine the relationships between the rate of protein synthesis, activity of the 20S proteasome, oxidative stress markers and antioxidant capacity in white muscle of juvenile spotted wolffish(Anarhichas minor) acclimated at three temperatures (4, 8 and 12°C). The rate of protein synthesis was lower at 4°C than at 8°C while it was intermediate at 12°C. Despite the decrease of protein synthesis at low temperature, the activity of 20S proteasome activity was maintained high in fish acclimated at lower temperature (4°C), reaching levels 130% of that of fish acclimated at 8°C when measured at a common temperature. The oxidative stress markers TBARS and protein-carbonyl content did not change among temperature groups, but reduced glutathione concentration was higher in cold-acclimated fish, suggesting a higher antioxidant capacity in this group. Our data suggest that lower growth rate in cold temperature results from both high 20S proteasome activity and a reduced rate of protein synthesis.

Low temperature directly activates the initial glycerol antifreeze response in isolated rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) liver cells

Rainbow smelt ( Osmerus mordax) accumulate high levels of glycerol in winter that serve as an antifreeze. Liver glycogen is a source of glycerol during the early stages of glycerol accumulation, whereas dietary glucose and amino acids are essential to maintain rates of glycerol synthesis. We presently report rates of glycerol and glucose production by isolated hepatocytes. Cells from fish held at 0.4 to –1.5°C and incubated at 0.4°C were metabolically quiescent with negligible rates of glycerol or glucose production. Hepatocytes isolated from fish maintained at 8°C and incubated at 8°C produced glucose but not glycerol. Glycerol production was activated in cells isolated from 8°C fish and incubated at 0.4°C without substrate or when glucose, aspartate, or pyruvate was available in the medium. Incubation at 0.4°C without substrate resulted in similar molar rates of glucose and glycerol production in concert with glycogen mobilization. Glycogenolysis and glycerol production were associated with increases in total in vitro activities of glycogen phosphorylase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Maximal in vitro activities of hexokinase and glucokinase were not influenced by temperature, but high activities of a low- Kmhexokinase may serve to redirect glycogen-derived glucose to glycolysis as opposed to releasing it from the cells. Rates of glycerol production were not enhanced in cells from fish held at 8°C and incubated at 0.4°C with adrenergic or glucocorticoid stimulation. As such, low temperature alone is sufficient to activate the glycerol production mechanism and results in a shift from glucose to a mix of glucose and glycerol production.

Relationship between food availability, glycerol and glycogen levels in low-temperature challenged rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax

Rainbow smelt Osmerus modax accumulate glycerol in winter that serves as an antifreeze. Fish were held at 8 degrees C, or subjected to a decrease in water temperature to -1 degrees C over a 19 day period, and subsequently maintained at -1 degrees C from 15 January to 11 May 2004. Starved fish did not survive the challenge of temperature decrease, with death ensuing above the typical freeze point for marine teleosts (-0.8 degrees C). A decrease in temperature activates the glycerol accumulation mechanism at about 5 degrees C with peak plasma levels exceeding 300 micromol ml(-1). Glycerol levels begin to decrease in late February even at water temperatures below -1 degrees C, suggesting either an inherent circannual or photoperiod trigger, possibly in association with sufficiently high levels of antifreeze protein. Glycogen levels in liver did not change significantly in starved fish maintained at 8 degrees C. However, liver glycogen was depleted in fish subjected to the low-temperature challenge and at a faster rate in starved than in fed fish. Stored glycogen in liver and other tissues can account for only a small amount of the total glycerol production, suggesting a strong requirement for food during accelerated glycerol production. Liver glycogen levels increased in April and May in association with the decrease in glycerol. Levels of glycerol in liver, kidney, spleen, gill, intestine, heart, muscle and brain follow the same pattern as that in plasma. During the early part of the glycerol accumulation phase, all tissues except for liver have lower levels of glycerol in the intracellular space than the levels in plasma. In liver, glycerol is in equilibrium between the two compartments.

Intracellular glucose and binding of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase to particulate fractions increase under hypoxia in heart of the amazonian armored catfish (Liposarcus pardalis)

Armored catfish (Liposarcus pardalis), indigenous to the Amazon basin, have hearts that are extremely tolerant of oxygen limitation. Here we test the hypothesis that resistance to hypoxia is associated with increases in binding of selected glycolytic enzymes to subcellular fractions. Preparations of isolated ventricular sheets were subjected to 2 h of either oxygenated or hypoxic (via nitrogen gassing) treatment during which time the muscle was stimulated to contract. The bathing medium contained 5 mM glucose and was maintained at 25 degrees C. Initial experiments revealed increases in anaerobic metabolism. There was no measurable decrease in glycogen level; however, hypoxic treatment led to a twofold increase in heart glucose and a 10-fold increase in lactate content. It is suggested that the increase in heart glucose content is a result of an enhanced rate of facilitated glucose transport that exceeds the rate of phosphorylation of glucose. Further experiments assessed activities of metabolic enzymes in crude homogenates and subsequently tracked the degree of enzyme binding associated with subcellular fractions. Total maximal activities of glycolytic enzymes (hexokinase [HK], phosphofructokinase [PFK], aldolase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase), and a mitochondrial marker, citrate synthase, were not altered with the hypoxic treatment. A substantial portion (>/=50%) of HK is permanently bound to mitochondria, and this level increases under hypoxia. The amount of HK that is bound to the mitochondrial fraction is at least fourfold higher in hearts of L. pardalis than in rat hearts. Hypoxia also resulted in increased binding of PFK to a particulate fraction, and the degree of binding is higher in hypoxia-tolerant fish than in hypoxia-sensitive mammalian hearts. Such binding may be associated with increased glycolytic flux rates through modulation of enzyme-specific kinetics. The binding of HK and PFK occurs before any significant decrease in glycogen level.

Tissue-specific changes in protein synthesis associated with seasonal metabolic depression and recovery in the north temperate labrid, Tautogolabrus adspersus

The tissue-specific changes in protein synthesis were tracked in relation to the seasonal metabolic depression in cunner ( Tautogolabrus adsperus). In vivo protein synthesis rate and total RNA content were determined in liver, white muscle, brain, heart, and gill during periods of normal activity before metabolic depression, entrance into and during winter dormancy, and during the recovery period. The decrease in water temperature from 8°C to 4°C was accompanied by a 55% depression of protein synthesis in liver, brain, and heart and a 66% depression in gill. Protein synthesis in white muscle fell below detectable levels at this temperature. The depression of protein synthesis is an active process (Q10 = 6–21 between 8°C and 4°C) that occurs in advance of the behavioral and physiological depression at the whole animal level. Protein synthesis was maintained at these depressed levels in white muscle, brain, heart, and gill until water temperature returned to 4°C in the spring. Liver underwent a hyperactivation in the synthesis of proteins at 0°C, which may be linked to antifreeze production. During the recovery period, a hyperactivation of protein synthesis occurred in white muscle, which is suggestive of compensatory growth, as well as in heart and liver, which is considered to be linked to increased activity and feeding. Seasonal changes in total RNA content demonstrate the depression of protein synthesis with decreasing temperature to be closely associated with translational capacity, but the stimulation of protein synthesis during recovery appears to be associated with increased translational efficiency.

Responses to hypoxia and recovery: repayment of oxygen debt is not associated with compensatory protein synthesis in the Amazonian cichlid,Astronotus ocellatus

Oxygen consumption, as an indicator of routine metabolic rate (RoMR), and tissue-specific changes in protein synthesis, as measured by 3H-labelled phenylalanine incorporation rates, were determined in Astronotus ocellatus to investigate the cellular mechanisms behind hypoxia-induced metabolic depression and recovery. RoMR was significantly depressed, by approximately 50%, when dissolved oxygen levels reached 10%saturation (0.67±0.01 mg l–1 at 28±1°C). This depression in RoMR was accompanied by a 50–60% decrease in liver,heart and gill protein synthesis, but only a 30% decrease in brain protein synthesis. During recovery from hypoxia, an overshoot in RoMR to 270% of the normoxic rate was observed, indicating the accumulation of an oxygen debt during hypoxia. This conclusion was consistent with significant increase in plasma lactate levels during the hypoxic exposure, and the fact that lactate levels rapidly returned to pre-hypoxic levels. In contrast, a hyperactivation of protein synthesis did not occur, suggesting the overshoot in oxygen consumption during recovery is attributed to an increase in cellular processes other than protein synthesis.

The accumulation and synthesis of betaine in winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata)

The present study investigated aspects of betaine metabolism in an elasmobranch fish, the winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata). Based on the level of choline dehydrogenase (ChoDH) activity, the liver and kidney appear to be the major sites of betaine synthesis and the mitochondrial localization of ChoDH and betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) indicates that the metabolic organization of betaine synthesis in winter skate is similar to other vertebrates. Food deprivation did not affect white muscle betaine content, and prolonged starvation (70 days) appeared to decrease the total hepatic betaine synthetic capacity. There was no decrease in ChoDH or BADH activity at the mitochondrial level with starvation, suggesting any decrease is due to catabolism of hepatic reserves rather than downregulation of betaine synthesis. Skates fed a high betaine diet (frozen squid approximately 55 micromol g(-1)) had elevated white muscle betaine content compared to those fed a low betaine diet (frozen herring <2 micromol g(-1)); however, high dietary betaine intake did not affect the activity of betaine synthesizing enzymes in liver. Acclimation to elevated salinity (120 and 130% seawater) did not result in an increase in white muscle betaine content. Taken as a whole, the present data suggest that diet is a major determinant of muscle betaine in the winter skate and that betaine is of marginal importance as an intracellular osmolyte in this species.