Effects Of Thermal Acclimation Research Articles

CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AFFECTS b-AR PROFILE AND HEART RESPONSIVENESS TO ISOPROTERENOL AND CALCIUM

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of thermal acclimation on the myocardium of rock pigeons. We determined the density and affinity of the b -adrenergic receptors in the left ventricle of cold-, heat-, and normothermic-acclimated pigeons by radioligand binding techniques. The mechanical performance of the left ventricle of the heart subjected to either isoproterenol or Ca2+ loading was measured using the Langendorff perfusion system. Heat- and cold-acclimated hearts demonstrated a significant downregulation of b - and b2 -adrenoreceptor density accompanied by an increase in their affinity when compared with normothermic-acclimated hearts. In agreement with these results, isoproterenol improved cardiac performance in cold- and heat-acclimated hearts. We also found that the heat-acclimated hearts were capable of functioning successfully when exposed to high Ca2+ loads, whereas cold-acclimated hearts were significantly less tolerant of Ca2+ loads and less efficient. Thermal acclimation...

Acclimation of entomopathogenic nematodes to novel temperatures: trehalose accumulation and the acquisition of thermotolerance

The effect of thermal acclimation on trehalose accumulation and the acquisition of thermotolerance was studied in three species of entomopathogenic nematodes adapted to either cold or warm temperatures. All three Steinernema species accumulated trehalose when acclimated at either 5 or 35°C, but the amount of trehalose accumulation differed by species and temperature. The trehalose content of the cold adapted Steinernema feltiae increased by 350 and 182%, of intermediate Steinernema carpocapsae by 146 and 122% and of warm adapted Steinernema riobrave by 30 and 87% over the initial level (18.25, 27.24 and 23.97 μg trehalose/mg dry weight, respectively) during acclimation at 5 and 35°C, respectively. Warm and cold acclimation enhanced heat (40°C for 8 h) and freezing (−20°C for 4 h) tolerance of S. carpocapsae and the enhanced tolerance was positively correlated with the increased trehalose levels. Warm and cold acclimation also enhanced heat but not freezing tolerance of S. feltiae and the enhanced heat tolerance was positively correlated with the increased trehalose levels. In contrast, warm and cold acclimation enhanced the freezing but not heat tolerance of S. riobrave, and increased freezing tolerance of only warm acclimated S. riobrave was positively correlated with the increased trehalose levels. The effect of acclimation on maintenance of original virulence by either heat or freeze stressed nematodes against the wax moth Galleria mellonella larvae was temperature dependent and differed among species. During freezing stress, both cold and warm acclimated S. carpocapsae (84%) and during heat stress, only warm acclimated S. carpocapsae (95%) maintained significantly higher original virulence than the non-acclimated (36 and 47%, respectively) nematodes. Both cold and warm acclimated S. feltiae maintained significantly higher original virulence (69%) than the non-acclimated S. feltiae (0%) during heat but not freezing stress. In contrast, both warm and cold acclimated S. riobrave maintained significantly higher virulence (41%) than the non-acclimated (14%) nematodes during freezing, but not during heat stress. Our data indicate that trehalose accumulation is not only a cold associated phenomenon but is a general response of nematodes to thermal stress. However, the extent of enhanced thermal stress tolerance conferred by the accumulated trehalose differs with nematode species.

Thermal acclimation changes DNA-binding activity of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) in the goby Gillichthys mirabilis: implications for plasticity in the heat-shock response in natural populations.

The intracellular build-up of thermally damaged proteins following exposure to heat stress results in the synthesis of a family of evolutionarily conserved proteins called heat shock proteins (Hsps) that act as molecular chaperones, protecting the cell against the aggregation of denatured proteins. The transcriptional regulation of heat shock genes by heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) has been extensively studied in model systems, but little research has focused on the role HSF1 plays in Hsp gene expression in eurythermal organisms from broadly fluctuating thermal environments. The threshold temperature for Hsp induction in these organisms shifts with the recent thermal history of the individual but the mechanism by which this plasticity in Hsp induction temperature is achieved is unknown. We examined the effect of thermal acclimation on the heat-activation of HSF1 in the eurythermal teleost Gillichthys mirabilis. After a 5-week acclimation period (at 13, 21 or 28 degrees C) the temperature of HSF1 activation was positively correlated with acclimation temperature. HSF1 activation peaked at 27 degrees C in fish acclimated to 13 degrees C, at 33 degrees C in the 21 degrees C group, and at 36 degrees C in the 28 degrees C group. Concentrations of both HSF1 and Hsp70 in the 28 degrees C group were significantly higher than in the colder acclimated fish. Plasticity in HSF1 activation may be important to the adjustable nature of the heat shock response in eurythermal organisms and the environmental control of Hsp gene expression.

Interplay among energy metabolism, organ mass and digestive enzyme activity in the mouse-opossum Thylamys elegans: the role of thermal acclimation.

The potential for thermal acclimation in marsupials is controversial. Initial studies suggest that the thermoregulatory maximum metabolic rate (MMR) in metatherians cannot be changed by thermal acclimation. Nevertheless, recent studies reported conspicuous seasonality in both MMR and in basal metabolic rate (BMR). We studied the role of thermal acclimation in the Chilean mouse-opossum, Thylamys elegans, by measuring MMR and BMR before and after acclimation to cold or warm conditions. Following acclimation we also measured the mass of metabolically active organs, and the activity of a key digestive enzyme, aminopeptidase-N. No significant effect of thermal acclimation (i.e. between cold- and warm-acclimated animals) was observed for body mass, MMR, body temperature or factorial aerobic scope. However, the BMR of cold-acclimated animals was 30 % higher than for warm-acclimated individuals. For organ mass, acclimation had a significant effect on the dry mass of caecum, liver and kidneys only. Stepwise multiple regression using pooled data showed that 71 % of the variation in BMR is explained by the digestive organs. Overall, these results suggest that MMR is a rather rigid variable, while BMR shows plasticity. It seems that T. elegans cannot respond to thermal acclimation by adjusting its processes of energy expenditure (i.e. thermogenic capacity and mass of metabolically active organs). The lack of any significant difference in aminopeptidase-N specific activity between warm- and cold-acclimated animals suggests that this response is mainly quantitative (i.e. cell proliferation) rather than qualitative (i.e. differential enzyme expression). Finally, as far as we know, this study is the first to report the effects of thermal acclimation on energy metabolism, organ mass and digestive enzyme activity in a marsupial.

Characterization of gill Na/K-ATPase activity and ouabain binding in Antarctic and New Zealand nototheniid fishes

The effects of thermal acclimation in two Nototheniid species, the stenothermal Antarctic Trematomous bernacchii and the eurythermal New Zealand Notothenia angustata, were investigated. Serum osmolality, gill Na/K-ATPase activity, sodium pump density and ouabain affinity were determined. Both fish were acclimated at their upper and lower viable thermal temperatures. Warm acclimation (+4 °C) of the T. bernacchii significantly decreased their serum osmolality from 550 to 450 mOsm/kg compared to cold-acclimation (−1.5 °C) and this was accompanied by a two-fold increase in gill Na/K-ATPase activity. Warm-acclimation (+14 °C) of N. angustata did not significantly change their serum osmolality from 330 mOsm/kg or gill Na/K-ATPase activity compared to the cold-acclimated (+4 °C) N. angustata. Using [ 3H]ouabain binding techniques, the B max and K d values of gill Na/K-ATPase enzymes were determined. No difference in the B max or K d of the warm-acclimated T. bernacchii accounted for the increase in Na/K-ATPase activity. We conclude that the change in gill Na/K-ATPase activity in the warm-acclimated T. bernacchii is not mediated by an increase in the number of enzyme sites and is not reflected in a change in ouabain affinity for Na/K-ATPase.

Effect of thermal acclimation on the expression of gene coding for lactate dehydrogenase A4 in loach skeletal muscle

Acclimation of Misgurnus fossilis to 5 and 18 degrees C induced considerable changes in LDH-A gene expression in white skeletal muscle. Qualities of total and messenger RNA isolated from weighted portions of muscle are considerably higher after acclimation to 18 degrees C as compared to 5 degrees C. However, a PCR assay of cDNA synthesized from these mRNA and equalized by optical density demonstrated that the level of LDH-A gene expression was indistinguishable for high and low acclimation temperatures, while expression of other genes (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and alpha-actin) considerably increased at 18 degrees C as compared to 5 degrees C. The specific enzymatic activity of LDH from white skeletal muscle of the fish acclimated to low temperature is by 20% higher than that for high-temperature acclimation. Structural analysis of the PCR products synthesized on cDNA-5 degrees C and cDNA-18 degrees C has revealed no differences. However, there are indirect indications of the differences in the C-thermal region of the LDH-A molecule. Northern hybridization reveals the differences at the RNA level: one (1400 bp) or two (about 1600 and 1400 bp) hybridization signals have been found in mRNA-5 degrees C and mRNA-18 degrees C, respectively. The presence of two fractions in the mRNA-18 degrees C indicates alternative splicing.

The biomechanics and evolutionary significance of thermal acclimation in the common carp Cyprinus carpio.

The effects of thermal acclimation were investigated in the common carp Cyprinus carpio L. Acclimation and acute temperature effects were tested during ontogeny from larval [9.5 mm total length (L)] to juvenile (69.0 mm L) stages and between 8 and 21 degrees C. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition, myofibrillar Mg(2+)-Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, and muscle strains showed significant thermal acclimation effects. MHCs were only expressed in an acclimation temperature-dependent fashion in fish longer than 37 mm. During fast starts, the temperature had a significant effect on the white muscle strain (33% increase and 50% decrease with increasing acclimation and acute temperature, respectively) and contraction duration (25% decrease with increasing acute temperature). Increases in hydrodynamic efficiency (0.19 to 0.38) and hydrodynamic power requirements (Q(10) = 3.2) occurred with increasing acute temperature (10 to 20 degrees C). Competing hypotheses about the evolutionary significance of the temperature acclimation response were tested. Acclimation extended the temperature range for fast-start behavior, but no improvements in performance at the whole animal level were found between 8 and 21 degrees C.

The effects of thermal acclimation on the cardiac responses of tropical fishes (pacu and nile tilapia) to temperature changes.

The effects of thermal acclimation on the cardiac responses of tropical fishes (pacu and nile tilapia) to temperature changes.

Effects of thermal acclimation on nervous conduction and muscle contraction in the frog Rana temporaria

The effects of season and acclimation temperature on the latency of the leg withdrawal reflex and three of its components have been studied: conduction velocity in the sciatic nerve, spinal conduction time, and contraction time of gastrocnemius muscle. The latency of the leg withdrawal reflex was markedly shortened by cold acclimation: the reaction times were at 6°C 1.54 s in 4°C acclimated and 3.97 s in 24°C acclimated winter frogs. Also, the temperature dependence of the reflex latency was reduced by cold acclimation. Thus, frogs acclimated to cold responded to external stimuli in cold more rapidly than warm-acclimated ones. This cold adaptation of the reflex could not be explained by changes in its studied components. These made up only one-tenth of the reflex response time, and either did not show significant cold acclimation (muscle contraction and spinal conduction times in summer) or showed inverse acclimation, especially when measured at high temperatures (i.e. conduction velocities were reduced by acclimation to cold). Thus, the cold acclimation of the reflex response probably resides in the sensory component of the response. The inverse temperature adaptation response of conduction velocities may reflect a reduced ion permeability across cellular membranes in cold which decreases metabolic energy expenditure during inactive periods.

Effects of thermal acclimation on the relaxation system of crucian carp white myotomal muscle

Effects of thermal acclimation on the relaxation system of crucian carp white myotomal muscle

Effects of thermal acclimation on lipid metabolism and myoglobin content in cardiac muscle of striped bass

Effects of thermal acclimation on lipid metabolism and myoglobin content in cardiac muscle of striped bass

Effects of thermal acclimation on the relaxation system of crucian carp white myotomal muscle

Many cyprinid fish are able to compensate for a decrease in ambient temperature by process of physiological adaptation in the function of muscles. In the winter habitat of crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.), low temperature is associated with simultaneous oxygen shortage. Because of the oxygen deprivation, there is probably little space for compensatory adaptation because positive thermal compensation would increase energy demand and accelerate depletion of glycogen reserves. Thus, we assumed that the crucian carp, unlike many other cyprinid fish, would not show positive thermal compensation but either no compensation or inverse compensation in muscle function. To test this hypothesis in the relaxation system of skeletal muscles, we determined the parvalbumin content and the activity of sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) Ca-ATPase in white myotomal muscle of winter- and summer-acclimated crucian carp. In the laboratory, the winter fish were kept at 2 degrees C and the summer fish at 22 degrees C for a minimum of 3 weeks before the experiments. The specific activity of SR Ca-ATPase at low experimental temperature (2 degrees C) was similar in summer- and winter-acclimated fish (0.26 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.04 mM/mg/min; P > 0.05). Because of the bigger Q(10) of cold-acclimated carp, the enzyme activity at 30 degrees C was higher in cold-acclimated winter fish than in warm-acclimated summer fish (7.42 +/- 0.90 vs. 5.18 +/- 0.53 mM/mg/min; P < 0.05). In contrast, the yield of SR protein was 70% higher in summer than winter fish (0.315 +/- 0.045 vs. 0.187 +/- 0.017 mg/g; P < 0.001). Because of these opposing changes, total Ca-ATPase activity of SR (per gram muscle weight) remained relatively constant. Similarly, the parvalbumin content of the myotomal muscle was not different between summer (4.09 +/- 0.95 mg/g) and winter (3.70 +/- 0.60 mg/g) fish. Although there were no seasonal changes in the total relaxing system of the crucian carp white myotomal muscle, the same activity of SR Ca-ATPase in winter fish was obtained with less amount of SR pump protein, owing to the increased catalytic activity of the enzyme. The higher catalytic activity of winter fish SR Ca-ATPase might be caused by differences in fatty acid composition noted in membrane lipids; i.e., fewer saturated fatty acids and more n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), at the expense of n-3 PUFAs, were present in the SR of cold-acclimated winter fish. Temperature-induced changes in enzyme protein, however, cannot be excluded. Thus, the present results indicate the absence of positive thermal compensation in the relaxing system of crucian carp white muscle. It seems, however, that lipid composition of SR membranes and temperature dependence of SR Ca-ATPase are altered by seasonal acclimation.

L-type Ca2+ current in fish cardiac myocytes: effects of thermal acclimation and beta-adrenergic stimulation.

A patch-clamp analysis of L-type Ca2+ current in ventricular myocytes of cold- and warm-acclimated rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and crucian carp (Carassius carassius) hearts was performed. Trout were acclimated at 4 and 17 degrees C and carp at 4 and 24 degrees C for a minimum of 4 weeks. Ventricular myocytes were isolated by enzymatic dissociation using collagenase and trypsin. Marked species-specific differences were noted in Ca2+ current density and its ss-adrenergic regulation. The density of basal Ca2+ current in crucian carp (6.9-7.4 pA pF-1) was almost double that of trout (4.2-4.5 pA pF-1) ventricular myocytes. Maximal beta-adrenergic stimulation increased Ca2+ current by approximately 2.3-fold in trout but by only 1.4-fold in crucian carp, so that Ca2+ current densities in the presence of 10 micromol l-1 isoprenaline were almost equal in trout (8.6-10.5 pA pF-1) and carp (9.6-10.4 pA pF-1) cardiac cells. Direct activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin (10 micromol l-1) was also associated with similar interspecies differences in the stimulation of Ca2+ current. Thermal acclimation did not change either the density or the kinetics of L-type Ca2+ current in crucian carp ventricular myocytes. In trout cardiac cells, thermal acclimation had no effects on the density of Ca2+ current, but the rate of current inactivation was accelerated after acclimation to cold temperature. As a consequence of faster current decay, the contribution of sarcolemmal Ca2+ current to total cellular [Ca2+] was smaller in cold-acclimated than in warm-acclimated trout. The responses of Ca2+ current to maximal beta-adrenergic stimulation by isoprenaline or to direct activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin were not changed by thermal acclimation in either species. It is concluded (1) that the density of sarcolemmal Ca2+ current is not increased after acclimation to cold, (2) that sarcolemmal Ca2+ influx through L-type Ca2+ channels can make a significant contribution to contractile [Ca2+] in both teleost species studied and (3) that ss-adrenergic stimulation of Ca2+ current is more important in modulating cardiac contractility in trout than in carp.

Ca2+-ATPase activity and Ca2+ uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum in fish heart: effects of thermal acclimation.

This study was designed to compare the activities of sarcoplasmic (SR) Ca2+-ATPase and Ca2+ uptake in fish and mammalian hearts and to determine whether thermal acclimation has any effect on the function of the cardiac SR in fish. To this end, we measured thapsigargin-sensitive Ca2+-ATPase activity and thapsigargin-inhibitable Ca2+ uptake velocity in crude cardiac homogenates of newborn and adult rats and of two teleost fish (crucian carp and rainbow trout) acclimated to low (4 degrees C) and high (17 degrees C and 24 degrees C for trout and carp, respectively) ambient temperatures. The TG-sensitive Ca2+-ATPase activity was highest in adult rat, and the corresponding activities of cold-acclimated trout, warm-acclimated trout, warm-acclimated carp, cold-acclimated carp and newborn rat were 76, 58, 43, 28 and 23 %, respectively, of that of the adult rat at 25 degrees C. SR Ca2+ uptake velocity, measured using Fura-2 at room temperature (approximately 22 degrees C), was highest in cold-acclimated trout, and the values for adult rat, warm-acclimated trout, newborn rat, warm-acclimated carp and cold-acclimated carp were 93, 56, 24, 21 and 14 % of the uptake velocity of cold-acclimated trout, respectively. When corrected to the body temperature of the animal, the relative rates of SR Ca2+ uptake were 100, 26, 19, 18, 11 and 2 % for adult rat, newborn rat, cold-acclimated trout, warm-acclimated trout, warm-acclimated carp and cold-acclimated carp, respectively. These findings show that SR Ca2+ uptake is slower in fish than in mammalian hearts and that marked species-specific differences exist among teleost fish in this respect. Furthermore, acclimation to cold increases the Ca2+ uptake rate of trout cardiac SR (complete thermal compensation) but decreases the SR Ca2+ uptake rate of crucian carp heart. This difference in acclimation response probably reflects the different activity patterns of the two species in their natural habitat during the cold season.

Effects of temperature on cuticular lipids and water balance in a desert Drosophila: is thermal acclimation beneficial?

The desert fruit fly Drosophila mojavensis experiences environmental conditions of high temperature and low humidity. To understand the physiological mechanisms allowing these small insects to survive in such stressful conditions, we studied the effects of thermal acclimation on cuticular lipids and rates of water loss of adult D. mojavensis. Mean hydrocarbon chain length increased at higher temperatures, but cuticular lipid melting temperature (Tm) did not. Lipid quantity doubled in the first 14 days of adult life, but was unaffected by acclimation temperature. Despite these changes in cuticular properties, organismal rates of water loss were unaffected by either acclimation temperature or age. Owing to the smaller body size of warm-acclimated flies, D. mojavensis reared for 14 days at 33 degrees C lost water more rapidly on a mass-specific basis than flies acclimated to 25 degrees C or 17 degrees C. Thus, apparently adaptive changes in cuticular lipids do not necessarily result in reduced rates of water loss. Avoidance of high temperatures and desiccating conditions is more likely to contribute to survival in nature than changes in water balance mediated by surface lipids.

Rana esculenta L. Liver Fru-1,6-P 2ase and G-6-Pase activity and Fru-2,6-P 2 concentration after acclimation at 5 and 25°C

The activities of Fru-1,6-P 2ase and G-6-Pase in liver and kidney of frogs acclimated at 5 and 25°C and Fru-2,6-P 2 level in liver were investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of thermal acclimation on regulatory enzymes of gluconeogenesis and on concentration of gluconeogenesis regulator. Fru-1,6-P 2ase activity in liver of frogs acclimated at 5°C was 6.16 ± 0.77 and 4.46 ± 0.46 U/g wt in those acclimated at 25°C; the respective values for G-6-Pase were 0.46 ± 0.04 and 0.25 ± 0.02 U/g wt. Fru-1,6-P 2ase activity in kidney was 3.2 ± 0.48 U/g wt at 5°C and 2.64 ± 0.23 U/g wt at 25°C; the respective values for G-6-Pase were 0.2 ± 0.05 and 0.17 ± 0.05 U/g wt. K m of frog liver Fru-1,6-P 2ase determined after acclimation at 5°C and to 25°C was 1.36 and 1.41 μM, respectively. Frog liver Fru-1,6-P 2ase was allosterically inhibited by AMP. I 0.5 determined after acclimation at 5°C was 10.55 μM and after acclimation at 25°C was 10.88 μM. Liver Fru-2,6-P 2 concentration after acclimation at 5°C was 0.44 ± 0.13 nmol/g wt in comparison with 0.58 ± 0.19 nmol/g wt after acclimation at 25°C. In conclusion, cold exposure increased hepatic gluconeogenic capacity of Rana esculenta.

Effects of thermal acclimation on the neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine in the discrete brain of male and female tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus

Effects of thermal acclimation on the serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) contents in the discrete brain of male and female tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus were investigated. Sexually mature males and females were exposed to 26°C, 29°C, or 32°C of water temperature for 3 weeks. The hypothalamic 5-HT content in the 29°C and 32°C acclimated male was lower than that in the 26°C group. In females, the hypothalamic 5-HT content in the 32°C acclimated group was less than those in the 26°C and 29°C groups. Similar results were found in the hypothalamic NE contents of males and females. In the optic lobe, the elevated temperature acclimation (29°C and 32°C) resulted in a higher 5-HT content in both males and females; whereas, the NE content was increased by the elevated temperature acclimation in females but not altered in that of males. In the telencephalon, the elevated temperature acclimation had no influence on the 5-HT content of males and females, but resulted in a lower NE content in both males and females. These results demonstrate that the neurotransmitter activity of teleost is influenced by the thermal acclimation in a sex- and regional-dependent pattern. The alterations of 5-HT and NE in the central nervous system might be involved in the physiological and biochemical responses that occur during thermal acclimation in fish.

The effects of thermal acclimation on immature mortality in the Queensland fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni and the light brown apple moth Epiphyas postvittana at a lethal temperature

AbstractMortality data for non‐acclimated and acclimated 3rd instar larvae and mid‐term eggs of Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae) were obtained after immersing in hot water at 46 °C. Acclimation consisted of holding the larvae and eggs at 35 °C for 20 and 11 h respectively just prior to heat‐treatment. The median lethal time (LT50) for acclimated larvae was found to be 6.9 min compared to 2.5 min for non‐acclimated larvae. LT99.999 for acclimated larvae was 20.9 min compared to 8.7 min for non‐acclimated larvae. LT50 for acclimated eggs was 5.0 min compared to 2.4 min for non‐acclimated eggs. LT99.999 for acclimated eggs was 26.0 min compared to 6.6 min for non‐acclimated eggs. For 3rd instar larvae, most acclimation effect on mortality had occurred by 8 h. A notable residual response was present 20 h after acclimation had occurred, reducing mortality at 46 °C for 4.5 min by roughly 25%. Mortality data at 46 °C were also obtained for non‐acclimated and acclimated late instar larvae of Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). With this species, LT50 for acclimated larvae was 2.5 min compared to 1.1 min for non‐acclimated larvae. LT99.999 for acclimated larvae was 9.5 min compared to 4.6 min for non‐acclimated larvae.

Effects of thermal acclimation on ventricle size, protein composition, and contractile properties of crucian carp heart

1. 1. The aim of the study was to find out how thermal adaptation affects ventricular size, protein composition and functional properties of the contractile machinery of the fish heart. For that purpose crucian carp ( Carassius carassius L.) were acclimated in laboratory to 2° and 22°C for three months. 2. 2. Long-term acclimation to 2° increased the relative ventricular mass by 86% in comparison to fish acclimated to 22°C. 3. 3. The cold-induced cardiac enlargement was associated with a remodelling of protein composition of the ventricular muscle. Total concentration of proteins, including non-collagenous proteins of myocytes and collagenous proteins of extracellular matrix, was increased from 96 to 109 mg g −1 ( P < 0.05) tissue wet weight. The increase was exclusively due to increased concentration of collagenous proteins, since concentration of sarcoplasmic proteins was unchanged and concentration of myofibrillar proteins was reduced. Total hydroxyproline concentration was lower in cold-acclimated animals; the elevated concentration of collagenous proteins is, therefore, not due to collagen but other proteins of the extracellular matrix. Thus, acclimation to cold increases protein concentration of extracellular matrix but reduces protein concentration of the myocytes in crucian carp heart. 4. 4. Effects of caffeine (5mM) on the contractile properties of ventricular myocardium were studied to find out if thermal acclimation alters Ca activation of contraction. Caffeine increase forco of contraction more in the hearts of warm-acclimated (110%) than cold-acclimated fish (40%). Furthermore, relaxation rate and time-course of contraction were differently affected by caffeine in cold- and warm-acclimated fish. These findings suggest that thermal acclimation changes the function of proteins responsible for excitation-contraction coupling.

Phagocyte activity in the frog Rana temporaria: whole blood chemiluminescence method and the effects of temperature and thermal acclimation

The respiratory burst activity of phagocytes was measured as zymosan induced, luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence (CL) emission in the whole blood of the frog Rana temporaria. The effect of thermal acclimation on phagocyte activity was studied by acclimating adult frogs for 14-18 days to 5 and 24 degrees C. The phagocyte CL was measured at seven temperatures ranging from 5 to 37 degrees C. Clear signs of resistance acclimation were seen both in CL reaction kinetics at 5 degrees C (P < 0.0001) and in intensities at 37 degrees C (P < 0.003). Thermal adaptation was also seen as a 1-5 degrees C shift in the temperature response curve of CL intensity towards the acclimation temperature (P < 0.03). The highest CL intensities were seen at 30 degrees C and they were of the same magnitude in both acclimation groups. The phagocyte activation enhanced progressively at temperatures ranging from 5 to 30 degrees C, showing that migration to a warmer environment would increase the phagocyte activity of frogs. The possible relation to behavioral fever is discussed.