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Mitochondrial plasticity in brachiopod (Liothyrella spp.) smooth adductor muscle as a result of season and latitude

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Abstract

Habitat temperature and mitochondrial volume density (Vv(mt,mf)) are negatively correlated in fishes, while seasonal acclimatization may increase Vv(mt,mf) or the surface density of the mitochondrial cristae (Sv(im,mt)). The effect of temperature on invertebrate mitochondria is essentially unknown. A comparison of two articulate brachiopod species, Liothyrella uva collected from Rothera Station, Antarctica in summer 2007, and Liothyrella neozelanica collected from Fiordland, New Zealand in winter 2007 and summer 2008, revealed a higher Vv(mt,mf) in the Antarctic brachiopod. The Sv(im,mt) was, however, significantly lower, indicating the Antarctic brachiopods have more, less reactive mitochondria. L. uva, from the colder environment, had larger adductor muscles in both absolute and relative terms than the temperate L. neozelanica. Furthermore, a seasonal comparison (winter vs. summer) in L. neozelanica showed that the absolute and relative size of the adductor increased in winter, Vv(mt,mf) was unchanged, and Sv(im,mt) was significantly increased. Thus, seasonal acclimatization to the cold resulted in the same number of more reactive mitochondria. L. neozelanica was clearly able to adapt to seasonal changes using a different mechanism, i.e. primarily through regulation of cristae surface area as opposed to mitochondrial volume density. Furthermore, given the evolutionary age of these living fossils (i.e. approximately 550 million years), this suggests that mitochondrial plasticity has roots extending far back into evolutionary history.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Mike Barker and Paul Meredith, Stephanie Martin and Melody Clark for help collecting brachiopods in New Zealand. The Rothera dive team, especially the marine assistant who helped in collecting and transporting Antarctic brachiopods. Mike Barker is thanked for the L. neozelanica photo. This project was financed in part by the ESF ThermAdapt short visit grant (2,148) awarded to GL, a Society for Experimental Biology travel grant awarded to GL, the University of Bern. It was also supported by funding from the Natural Environment Research Council via the British Antarctic Survey BIOREACH project in the BIOFLAME programme.

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  1. Glenn J. Lurman

    Present address: Institute for Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 2, 3000, Bern 9, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Antarctic Survey, Madingley Road, High Cross, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

    Glenn J. Lurman, Lloyd S. Peck & Simon Morley

  2. Institute for Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 2, 3000, Bern 9, Switzerland

    Till Blaser

  3. Portobello Marine Lab, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Miles Lamare

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  1. Glenn J. Lurman
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  2. Till Blaser
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  4. Lloyd S. Peck
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  5. Simon Morley
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Correspondence to Glenn J. Lurman.

Additional information

Communicated by J. P. Grassle.

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227_2009_1374_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Fig. 2 A) Electron micrograph of adductor muscle from Liothyrella uva. Mitochondria are indicated with arrowheads. Scale bar represents 5 µm. B) Electron micrograph of a single mitochondrion in Liothyrella uva adductor muscle. Scale bar represents 1 µm (TIFF 34020 kb)

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Lurman, G.J., Blaser, T., Lamare, M. et al. Mitochondrial plasticity in brachiopod (Liothyrella spp.) smooth adductor muscle as a result of season and latitude. Mar Biol 157, 907–913 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1374-z

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