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SUMMARYCold acclimation of ectotherms results typically in enhanced oxidative capacities and lipid remodeling, changes that should increase the risk of lipid peroxidation (LPO). It is unclear whether activities of antioxidant enzymes may respond in a manner to mitigate the increased potential for LPO. The current study addresses these questions using killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus macrolepidotus) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) acclimated to 5 and 25°C for 9days and 2months, respectively. Because the effects of temperature acclimation on pro-and antioxidant metabolism may be confounded by variable activity levels among temperature groups, one species (killifish) was also subjected to a 9-day exercise acclimation. Oxidative capacity of glycolytic (skeletal) muscle (indicated by the activity of cytochrome c oxidase) was elevated by 1.5-fold in killifish, following cold acclimation, but was unchanged in cardiac muscle and also unaffected by exercise acclimation in either tissue. No changes in citrate synthase activity were detected in either tissue following temperature acclimation. Enzymatic antioxidants (catalase and superoxide dismutase) of either muscle type were unaltered by temperature or exercise acclimation. Mitochondria from glycolytic muscle of cold-acclimated killifish were enriched in highly oxidizable polyunsatured fatty acids (PUFA), including diacyl phospholipids (total carbons:total double bonds) 40:8 and 44:12. Increased oxidative capacity, coupled with elevated PUFA content in mitochondria from cold-acclimated animals did not, however, impact LPO susceptibility when measured with C11-BODIPY. The apparent mismatch between oxidative capacity and enzymatic antioxidants following temperature acclimation will be addressed in future studies.

Tissues of Antarctic marine fishes are very high in lipids, predominantly triacylglycerols (TAG). In addition to conferring static lift to these swimbladderless fishes, these rich lipid stores long have been considered as an important caloric resource to the animals. We have performed in vitro measurements of the rates of oxidation of 14C-labeled carbohydrates and fatty acids by oxidative skeletal muscle and heart ventricle of an Antarctic teleost, Gobionotothm gibberifrons to assess the relative importance of these substrates to aerobic energy metabolism.Capacities for regeneration of ATP calculated from oxidation rates of these fuels clearly indicate that fatty acids are more effective substrates of energy metabolism than either glucose or lactate with both tissues. Substrate competition experiments conducted between the saturated fatty acid palmitate (16:O) and the monoenoic unsaturate oleate (18:l) comparing the oxidation rate of radiolabeled fatty acid in the presence and absence of unlabeled competitor demonstrate a clear preference of both tissue types for catabolism of the monounsaturated substrate. Measurements of maximal activity of the putative flux-generating enzyme of mitochondria1 P-oxidation, carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT), with a variety of fatty acyl CoA esters also show significant preference for a monoenoic fatty acyl CoA, palmitoleoyl CoA (16:l). The general pattern of results suggests that monounsaturated fatty compounds are the most readily utilized substrates for energy metabolism by oxidative muscle tissues of this Antarctic species. o 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc