Pressure and temperature interactions on cellular respiration: a review

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Environmental Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Thermodynamic principles suggest pressure and temperature can synergistically or antagonistically affect biological processes.
• Aquatic ectotherms, like fish, are valuable models for studying pressure/temperature interactions (PTI) due to experimental flexibility.
• Understanding PTI is crucial for predicting organismal responses to changing environmental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the effects of temperature and pressure changes on fish energy metabolism.
• To examine the impact of PTI on mitochondrial oxygen consumption and function in fish.
• To investigate potential discrepancies between theoretical models and observed effects of PTI.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on temperature and pressure effects on fish.
• Analysis of energy metabolism and mitochondrial function in response to environmental changes.
• Presentation of unpublished data on eel mitochondrial function under varied temperature and pressure conditions.

Main Results:

• Observed effects of PTI on fish energy metabolism and mitochondrial function often deviate from theoretical predictions.
• Unpublished data suggest distinct mitochondrial targets for temperature and pressure effects.
• Fish mitochondrial oxygen consumption and overall function are sensitive to combined environmental stressors.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between temperature, pressure, and biological rates is complex and not fully captured by current models.
• Pressure and temperature likely impact different molecular targets within fish mitochondria.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms and ecological consequences of PTI in aquatic organisms.