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Temperature adaptation of lipids in diapausing Ostrinia nubilalis: an experimental study to distinguish environmental versus endogenous controls

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Abstract

Larvae of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hubn.) were cold acclimated during different phases of diapause to determine if changes in the fatty acid composition lipids occur as part of a programmed diapause strategy, or as a response to low temperatures during winter. Cold acclimation of fifth instar larvae of O. nubilalis during diapause had modest effects further on the readjustments in fatty acid composition of triacylglycerols and phospholipids. Overall, FA unsaturation (UFAs/SFAs ratio) was stable, with the exception of the triacylglycerols fraction after exposure to −3 and −10 °C in mid-diapause (MD) when it significantly increased. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to examine phase transitions of total body lipid of cold-acclimated larvae in diapause. Thermal analysis indicated that changes in the melt transition temperatures of whole body total lipids were subtle, but consistent with the modest changes in the level of FA unsaturation observed. We conclude that lipid rearrangements are a function of the endogenous “diapause program” rather than a direct effect of low temperatures, which proved to have limited impact on lipid changes in diapausing larvae of O. nubilalis.

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Abbreviations

DSC:

Differential scanning calorimetry

FA:

Fatty acid

SFA:

Saturated fatty acid

UFA:

Unsaturated fatty acid

MUFA:

Monounsaturated fatty acid

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acid

UFAs/SFAs ratio:

Ratio of unsaturated/saturated FAs

FAME:

Fatty acid methyl ester

GPEtn/GPChol ratio:

Ratio of glycerophosphoethanolamine/glycerophosphocholine

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, grant no. 173014., project entitled “Molecular mechanisms of redox signalling in homeostasis: adaptation and pathology”. This publication is a contribution to the ECOSYSTEMS Programme of the British Antarctic Survey, UK.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia

    Elvira L. Vukašinović, Gordana Grubor-Lajšić, Danijela Kojić, Jelena Purać & Željko D. Popović

  2. Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA, Scotland, UK

    David W. Pond

  3. British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

    M. Roger Worland

  4. Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Duško P. Blagojević

Authors
  1. Elvira L. Vukašinović
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  2. David W. Pond
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  3. Gordana Grubor-Lajšić
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  4. M. Roger Worland
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  5. Danijela Kojić
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  6. Jelena Purać
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  7. Željko D. Popović
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  8. Duško P. Blagojević
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elvira L. Vukašinović.

Additional information

Communicated by G. Heldmaier.

Gordana Grubor-Lajšić: deceased

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Vukašinović, E.L., Pond, D.W., Grubor-Lajšić, G. et al. Temperature adaptation of lipids in diapausing Ostrinia nubilalis: an experimental study to distinguish environmental versus endogenous controls. J Comp Physiol B 188, 27–36 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-017-1110-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-017-1110-9

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