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Adaptations to high hydrostatic pressure.

G N Somero1

  • 1Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0202.

Annual Review of Physiology
|January 1, 1992
PubMed
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Deep-sea life adapts to high pressure, with different biological systems having varying pressure tolerance thresholds. These adaptations influence species distribution and indicate convergent evolution in high-pressure environments.

Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Physiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Adaptation to high pressure is crucial for species survival in deep-sea environments.
  • Comparative studies reveal significant differences in pressure sensitivity among physiological systems of shallow- and deep-living organisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To operationally define high-pressure thresholds for various biological systems.
  • To explore the implications of pressure adaptation on species distribution and evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of pressure sensitivities in enzymes, structural proteins, and membrane-based systems.
  • Examination of threshold pressures for processes like dehydrogenase activity, adenylyl cyclase function, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, and actin self-assembly.

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Main Results:

  • Threshold pressures for perturbation vary among physiological systems, with some, like dehydrogenase enzymes, showing sensitivity as low as 50-100 atm.
  • The Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and actin self-assembly exhibit pressure perturbation thresholds around 200 atm.
  • These findings suggest that 'high pressure' conditions begin at depths of 500 m or less.

Conclusions:

  • Interspecific differences in pressure resistance likely shape species' vertical distribution in aquatic habitats.
  • Convergent evolution is evident in the pressure adaptations of deep-sea species, suggesting similar functional solutions to high-pressure challenges.
  • Adaptations to both pressure and temperature are critical determinants of deep-sea species distribution.