Abstract
Acclimation to different temperatures by a poikilothermous animal must include modification of its membrane lipids to maintain the proper physical properties. The simplest way to achieve this acclimation would seem to be by modification of the phospholipid fatty acids. In a freshwater cray-fish,Procambarus clarkii, rapid changes in the degree of unsaturation of newly synthesized phospholipid fatty acids were correlated with changes in environmental temperature, both in whole animals and in slices of hepatopancreas tissue. At 5 C, the rate of fatty acid synthesis was about half that occurring at 23 C. Hepatopancreas tissue from animals acclimated to either 5 C or 23 C, when incubated for 2 hr at 5 C, incorporated a higher percentage of exogenous [1-14C] acetate into polyunsaturated acids (27–38% of the radioactivity in total fatty acids) than when incubated at 23 C (12–14%); conversely, more saturated fatty acids were synthesized at 23 C (73–80% vs 51–73%). The higher average unsaturation of the fatty acids biosynthesized at 5 C constitutes an effective response to the animal's need for modification of lipids to maintain adequate membrane function at the lower environmental temperature.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hazel, J.R., Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 43B:837, 863 (1972).
MacLennan, D.H., and P.C. Holland, in “The Enzymes of Biological Membranes,” Vol. 3, edited by A. Martonosi, Plenum Press, New York and London, 1976, pp. 228–30.
Warren, G.B., and J.C. Metcalfe, in “Structural and Kinetic Approach to Plasma Membrane Function,” edited by C.N. Nicolau and A. Paraf, Springer-Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York, 1977, pp. 188–200.
Hochachka, P.W., and G.N. Somero, “Strategies of Biochemical Adaptation,” W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia/London/Toronto, 1973, pp. 180–81, 253–60.
Chapman, D., in “Biomembranes,” Vol. 7, edited by H. Eisenberg, E. Katchalski-Katzir and L.A. Manson, Plenum Press, New York and London, 1975, pp. 1–9.
Klein, R.A., M.J. Moore and W.H. Smith, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 233:420 (1971).
Linden, C.D., and C.F. Fox, J. Supramol. Struct. 1:535 (1973).
McElhaney, R.N., J. Mol. Biol. 84:145 (1974).
McElhaney, R.N., and K.A. Souza, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 443:348 (1976).
Baldassare, J.J., G.M. Brenckle, M. Hoffman and D.F. Short, J. Biol. Chem. 252:8797 (1977).
Johnston, P.V., and B.I. Roots, Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 11:303 (1964).
Farkas, T., and I. Csengeri, Lipids 11:401 (1976).
Cossins, A.R., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 470:395 (1977).
Cossins, A.R., Lipids 11:307 (1976).
Miller, N.G.A., M.W. Hill and M.W. Smith, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 455:644 (1976).
Wodtke, E., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 529:280 (1978).
Chapelle, S., J. Exp. Zool. 294:337 (1978).
Riegel, J.A., Calif. Fish Game 45:29 (1959).
van Harreveld, A., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 34:428 (1930).
Folch, J., M. Lees and G.H. Sloane-Stanley, J. Biol. Chem. 226:497 (1957).
Farkas, T., J.C. Nevenzel and A.A. Benson, Lipids 8:728 (1973).
Zandee, D.I., Arch. Int. Physiol. Biochim. 74:435 (1966).
Wolfe, D.A., P.V. Rao and D.G. Cornwell, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 42:633 (1965).
Morris, R.J., and J.R. Sargent, Mar. Biol. 22:77 (1973).
Moreno, V.J., J.E.A. de Moreno and R.R. Brenner, Lipids 14:313 (1979).
Brenner, R.R., Mol. Cell. Biochem. 3:41 (1974).
de Torengo, M.P., and R.R. Brenner, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 424:36 (1976).
Kasai, R., Y. Kitajima, C.E. Martin, Y. Nozawa, L. Skriver and G.A. Thompson, Jr., Biochemistry 15:522 (1976).
Sinensky, M., J. Bacteriol. 106:449 (1971).
Okuyama, H., K. Yamada, Y. Kameyama, H. Ikezawa, Y. Kametsu and S. Nojima, Biochemistry 16:2668 (1977).
Gurr, M.I., and A.T. James, “Lipid Biochemistry: an Introduction,” Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY 1971, p. 137.
Brichon, G., S. Chapelle and G. Zwingelstein, Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 67B:647 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Work done at the Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024.
About this article
Cite this article
Farkas, T., Nevenzel, J.C. Temperature acclimation in the crayfish: Effects on phospholipid fatty acids. Lipids 16, 341–346 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02534959
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02534959