Effect of hypoxia on the content and stoichiometry of cytochromes in muscle of the gray mullet Liza aurata

Abstract

The maintenance of the gray mullet Liza aurata under conditions of hypoxia (P(O2) 55-82 GPa) for 1-2 days led to a decrease of oxygen pressure in arterial blood by 47%, while in venous blood--by 28%. The mean muscle oxygen pressure decreased by 19.2%. The number of hypoxic and anoxic zones in muscle tissue decreased significantly, in particular in red muscle. The maintenance of the fish in hypoxic waters for 15 days led to a rise of the content of cytochromes in muscle and a qualitative readjustment of the mitochondrial respiratory chain manifested in an increase of the content of cytochromes a and a3 and a decrease of cytochrome b. In discussion, literature data are presented which support the described regularity.