Temperature Influence on Basal Activity and Induction of Mixed Function Oxygenase Activity in Fundulus heteroclitus

Abstract

Treatment of Fundulus heteroclitus acclimated to 6.5 °C with benzo(a)pyrene did not elicit any change in the levels of hepatic microsomal NADH- or NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity, nor in the levels of cytochrome P-450 or its catalytic activities. However, the same treatment offish at 16 5 °C resulted in a marked induction of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. Cytochrome P-450 content was also higher in the warm, treated fish and the Soret maximum of reduced, CO-treated microsomes was shifted to the violet. Levels of aminopyrine demethylase and NADH-cytochrome c reductase activities did not show a significant treatment effect. At neither temperature could treated and control fish be distinguished on the basis of in vitro inhibition of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity by 7,8-benzoflavone. Levels of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activities were greater in control Fundulus acclimated to 6.5 °C than to 16.5 °C, when normalized to microsomal protein, but not when based on body weight. The results indicate that habitat temperature alone may not affect the capacity for initial hydrocarbon metabolism in fish, but that it can strongly influence the induction of cytochrome P-450. Key words: temperature, cytochrome P-450, hydrocarbon metabolism, mixed-function oxygenase, Fundulus heteroclitus