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Effect of temperature on the fatty acid composition and temporal trajectories of fatty acids in fasting Daphnia pulex (Crustacea, cladocera)

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Lipids

Abstract

Poikilothermic organisms accumulate highly unsturated FA (HUFA) in their lipids at reduced temperatures to maintain cell membrane fluidity. In this study we investigated the effect of temperature on temporal trajectories of FA of fasting Daphnia pulex cultured on a HUFA-free diet. Daphnia pulex populations were maintained for 1 mon at 22 and 11°C and were fed the chlorophyte Ankistrodesmus falcatus. We observed conversion of C18 FA precursors to EPA (20∶5n3) and arachidonic acid (ARA; 20∶4n6) in D. pulex. We showed that long-term exposure to cold temperature causes a significant increase in EPA, HUFA such as ARA and EPA are highly conserved during starvation. Therefore, D. pulex has the biosynthetic capacity to adjust and to maintain the content of HUFA required to survive at low temperatures.

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Abbreviations

AF:

Ankistrodesmus falcatus

ALA:

α-linolenic acid

ARA:

arachidonic acid

DA11:

Daphia pulex cultured at 11°C

DA22:

Daphnia pulex cultured at 22°C

HUFA:

Highly unsaturated FA

LIN:

linoleic acid

MUFA:

monounsaturated FA

TFA:

total FA content

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environment Canada, L7R 4A6, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

    Christian Schlechtriem & M. T. Arts

  2. Institute of Plant Physiology, Martin-Luther University, D-06120, Halle, Germany

    I. D. Zellmer

Authors
  1. Christian Schlechtriem
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  2. M. T. Arts
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  3. I. D. Zellmer
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Correspondence to Christian Schlechtriem.

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Schlechtriem, C., Arts, M.T. & Zellmer, I.D. Effect of temperature on the fatty acid composition and temporal trajectories of fatty acids in fasting Daphnia pulex (Crustacea, cladocera). Lipids 41, 397–400 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-006-5111-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-006-5111-9

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