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Anoxic survival of the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii)

Journal of Comparative Physiology B volume 181, pages 361–371 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

It is not known how the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii) can survive extended periods of anoxia. The present study used two experimental approaches to examine energy use during and following anoxic exposure periods of different durations (6, 24 and 36 h). By measuring oxygen consumption prior to anoxic exposure, we detected a circadian rhythm, with hagfish being active during night and showing a minimum routine oxygen consumption (RMR) during the daytime. By measuring the excess post-anoxic oxygen consumption (EPAOC) after 6 and 24 h it was possible to mathematically account for RMR being maintained even though heme stores of oxygen would have been depleted by the animal’s metabolism during the first hours of anoxia. However, EPAOC after 36 h of anoxia could not account for RMR being maintained. Measurements of tissue glycogen disappearance and lactate appearance during anoxia showed that the degree of glycolysis and the timing of its activation varied among tissues. Yet, neither measurement could account for the RMR being maintained during even the 6-h anoxic period. Therefore, two independent analyses of the metabolic responses of hagfish to anoxia exposure suggest that hagfish utilize metabolic rate suppression as part of the strategy for longer-term anoxia survival.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

°C:

Degree celsius

EPAOC:

Excess post-anoxic oxygen consumption

\( \dot{M}{\text{O}}_{2} \) :

Metabolic rate (rate of O2 consumption)

MRS:

Metabolic rate suppression

PO2:

Partial pressure of O2

RMR:

Routine metabolic rate

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by an NSERC Canada Discovery grants awarded to Anthony P. Farrell and Jeffrey G. Richards. We thank Janice Oaks at DFO and Bruce Cameron at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre for assistance with fish care, Dan Baker, UBC, blood pH measurements, M. Mandic and G. Lau, UBC, for instruction on metabolite assays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Georgina K. Cox, Jeffrey G. Richards & Anthony P. Farrell

  2. Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Eric Sandblom & Anthony P. Farrell

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg, Box 463, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Eric Sandblom

Authors
  1. Georgina K. Cox
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  2. Eric Sandblom
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  3. Jeffrey G. Richards
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  4. Anthony P. Farrell
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Correspondence to Georgina K. Cox.

Additional information

Communicated by I.D. Hume.

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Cox, G.K., Sandblom, E., Richards, J.G. et al. Anoxic survival of the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii). J Comp Physiol B 181, 361–371 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-010-0532-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-010-0532-4

Keywords

  • Anoxia
  • Routine metabolic rate
  • Excess post-anoxic oxygen consumption
  • Metabolic rate suppression
  • Lactate
  • Glucose
  • ATP