Adaptations of Insects to Subzero Temperatures

Duman, John G.; Wu, Ding Wen; Xu, Lei; Tursman, Donald; Olsen, T. M.

doi:10.1086/417337

Cited by 159 publications

(110 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

106

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Koštál et al, 2014;Sinclair and Chown, 2005;Slabber and Chown, 2004). Subsequent investigations of the biochemistry underlying plasticity and cold tolerance, for example, changes in hemolymph composition, can then be incorporated into suitably-informed sampling and analyses, that are beyond the scope of this review (see, e.g., Bale and Hayward, 2010;Duman et al, 1991;Lee, 2010;Storey, 1991, 2013;Zachariassen, 1991;Zachariassen and Kristiansen, 2000;Zachariassen et al, 2004). As we have discussed, the biology of the organism will determine the utility of metrics usedoverwintering and diapausing insects, for example, often do not merit measurement of CT min , so CT min is consequently absent from studies on many overwintering insects (e.g.…”

Section: Suggested Workflowmentioning

confidence: 99%

An invitation to measure insect cold tolerance: Methods, approaches, and workflow

Sinclair

Alvarado

Ferguson

2015

Journal of Thermal Biology

287

316

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Insect performance is limited by the temperature of the environment, and in temperate, polar, and alpine regions, the majority of insects must face the challenge of exposure to low temperatures. The physiological response to cold exposure shapes the ability of insects to survive and thrive in these environments, and can be measured, without great technical difficulty, for both basic and applied research. For example, understanding insect cold tolerance allows us to predict the establishment and spread of insect pests and biological control agents. Additionally, the discipline provides the tools for drawing physiological comparisons among groups in wider studies that may not be focused primarily on the ability of insects to survive the cold. Thus, the study of insect cold tolerance is of a broad interest, and several reviews have addressed the theories and advances in the field. Here, however, we aim to clarify and provide rationale for common practices used to study cold tolerance, as a starter's guide for newcomers to the field, students, and those wishing to incorporate cold tolerance into a broader study. We cover the 'tried and true' measures of insect cold tolerance, the equipment necessary for these measurement, and summarize the ecological and biological significance of each. Additionally, we provide a suggested framework and workflow for measuring cold tolerance and low temperature performance in insects.

show abstract

Section: Suggested Workflowmentioning

confidence: 99%

An invitation to measure insect cold tolerance: Methods, approaches, and workflow

Sinclair

Alvarado

Ferguson

2015

Journal of Thermal Biology

287

316

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Duman et al, 1991;Leather et al 1993, Bale, 2002. However, organisms not adept at surviving low temperatures suffer lethal damages that are less wellunderstood (Hawes and Bale, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short-term hardening effects on survival of acute and chronic cold exposure by Drosophila melanogaster larvae

Rajamohan

Sinclair

2008

Journal of Insect Physiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We quantified the variation and plasticity in cold tolerance among four larval stages of four laboratory strains of Drosophila melanogaster in response to both acute (<2 hours of cold exposure) and chronic (∼7 hours of cold exposure) cold exposure. We observed significant differences in basal cold tolerance between the strains and among larval stages. Early larval instars were generally more tolerant of acute cold exposures than 3 rd instar larvae. However, wandering larvae were more tolerant of chronic cold exposures than the other stages. Early stages also displayed a more pronounced rapid cold-hardening response than the later stages. Heat pre-treatment did not confer a significant increase in cold tolerance to any of the strains at any stage, pointing to different mechanisms being involved in resolving heat-and cold-elicited damage. However, when heat pre-treatment was combined with rapid cold-hardening as sequential pre-treatments, both positive (heat first) and negative (heat second) effects on cold tolerance were observed. We discuss possible mechanisms underlying coldhardening and the effects of acute and chronic cold exposures.

show abstract

“…These proteins lower the freezing point by a noncolligative mechanism without altering the melting point significantly, and are therefore also referred to as thermal hysteresis proteins [1,2]. They were first discovered in the blood sera of Antarctic fish living perennially at about −1.9°C, but have been now reported in many organisms including plants, insects, fungi and bacteria [3][4][5]. Levels of thermal hysteresis activity generally range from 0.1 to 0.3°C in bacteria, from 0.2 to 0.5°C in plants, from 0.7 to 1.5°C in fish and from 3 to 6°C in insects.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychrophilic enzymes: molecular basis of cold adaptation

Feller

Gerday

1997

CMLS, Cell. mol. life sci.

368

231

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Psychrophilic organisms have successfully provides enhanced abilities to undergo conformational colonized polar and alpine regions and are able to grow changes during catalysis. Thermal instability of coldefficiently at sub-zero temperatures. At the enzymatic adapted enzymes is therefore regarded as a consequence level, such organisms have to cope with the reduction of of their conformational flexibility. A survey of the psychrophilic enzymes studied so far reveals only minor chemical reaction rates induced by low temperatures in alterations of the primary structure when compared to order to maintain adequate metabolic fluxes. Thermal compensation in cold-adapted enzymes is reached mesophilic or thermophilic homologues. However, all known structural factors and weak interactions inthrough improved turnover number and catalytic effivolved in protein stability are either reduced in number ciency. This optimization of the catalytic parameters can originate from a highly flexible structure which or modified in order to increase their flexibility.Key words. Psychrophiles; extremophiles; cold adaptation; microbial proteins; protein stability; weak interactions; Antarctic.Psychrophiles live at the lowest temperatures which allow the development of living organisms. These extremophilic organisms, either prokaryotic or eukaryotic, represent a major class of the living world if we consider the vast extent of permanently cold environments on Earth, such as polar and alpine regions or deep-sea waters. The successful colonization of such severe ecological niches by psychrophiles, their diversity and abundance are now well recognized. The lower temperature limit of life is commonly defined as the freezing point of cellular water. Although apparently simple by definition, this limit can drop significantly below 0°C, the freezing point of pure water. For instance, the freezing point of a typical marine teleost ranges between −0.5 and −0.9°C. Sodium chloride is responsible for about 85% of the freezing point depression, and the remaining 15% is due to other small solutes. Synthesis of antifreeze glycoproteins and peptides can further depress the freezing point of body fluids or cellular water. These proteins lower the freezing point by a noncolligative mechanism without altering the melting point significantly, and are therefore also referred to as thermal hysteresis proteins [1,2]. They were first discovered in the blood sera of Antarctic fish living perennially at about −1.9°C, but have been now reported in many organisms including plants, insects, fungi and bacteria [3][4][5]. Levels of thermal hysteresis activity generally range from 0.1 to 0.3°C in bacteria, from 0.2 to 0.5°C in plants, from 0.7 to 1.5°C in fish and from 3 to 6°C in insects. Besides the synthesis of cryoprotectants which lead to freeze avoidance, several organisms have developed mechanisms of freeze tolerance, involving drastic metabolic modifica-* Corresponding author.

show abstract

Adaptations of Insects to Subzero Temperatures

Cited by 159 publications

References 0 publications

An invitation to measure insect cold tolerance: Methods, approaches, and workflow

An invitation to measure insect cold tolerance: Methods, approaches, and workflow

Short-term hardening effects on survival of acute and chronic cold exposure by Drosophila melanogaster larvae

Psychrophilic enzymes: molecular basis of cold adaptation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About