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Interactive effects of temperature and cadmium on metabolism of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica: Linking whole‐organism, cellular and mitochondrial responses
Author(s) -
Sokolova Inna,
Lannig Gisela,
Cherkasov Anton,
Flores Jason
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a828
Subject(s) - bioenergetics , crassostrea , acclimatization , oyster , cadmium , respiration , biology , mitochondrion , chemistry , ecology , biochemistry , anatomy , organic chemistry
Marine molluscs are exposed to multiple stressors in estuaries, which can strongly affect their physiology. We have studied the combined effects of temperature and cadmium stress on bioenergetics of C. virginica at the whole‐animal, cellular and mitochondrial levels. In vivo exposure to 50 mg L −1 Cd and high temperatures resulted in a strong increase in whole‐organism basal metabolic rate (BMR) due to elevated cellular oxygen demand. Temperature‐induced increase in BMR was due to a proportional increase of the costs of ATP turnover, mitochondrial proton leak and non‐mitochondrial respiration. In contrast, Cd‐induced increase in BMR was largely due to a 2 to 6‐fold increase in the transcriptional activity and protein turnover, likely reflecting costs of Cd detoxification. Mitochondrial oxidation capacity was suppressed by high acclimation temperatures (28°C) and by combination of high temperature and Cd exposure. Mitochondrial abundance significantly decreased in Cd‐exposed oysters, with a stronger decrease (by 20–24%) in warm‐acclimated oysters as compared to cold‐acclimated ones (8–13%). This suggests that exposure to combined temperature and cadmium stress may result in energy deficiency due to the elevated energy demand, on one hand, and reduced mitochondrial capacity, on the other hand. Enhancement of cadmium effects by elevated temperatures suggests that oyster populations may become more susceptible to trace metal pollution due to global warming. Supported by NSF and A. von Humboldt Foundation.