SUMMARYHere we report the partial nucleotide sequence of a reptilian uncoupling protein (repUCP) gene from the European common lizard (Lacerta vivipara). Overlapping sequence analysis reveals that the protein shows 55%, 72% and 77% sequence homology with rat UCP1, UCP2 and UCP3, respectively, and 73% with bird and fish UCPs. RepUCP gene expression was ubiquitously detected in 4°C cold-acclimated lizard tissues and upregulated in muscle tissues by a 20·h exposure to sub-zero temperatures in a supercooling state or after thawing. In parallel, we show an increase in the co-activators, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ␥ coactivator-1␣ (PGC-1␣) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), mRNA expression, suggesting that the mechanisms regulating UCP expression may be conserved between mammals (endotherms) and reptiles (ectotherms). Furthermore, mitochondria extracted from lizard skeletal muscle showed a guanosine diphosphate (GDP)-sensitive non phosphorylating respiration. This last result indicates an inhibition of extra proton leakage mediated by an uncoupling protein, providing arguments that repUCP is functional in lizard tissues. This result is associated with a remarkable GDP-dependent increase in mitochondrial endogenous H 2 O 2 production. All together, these data support a physiological role of the repUCP in superoxide limitation by lizard mitochondria in situations of stressful oxidative reperfusion following a re-warming period in winter.Key words: Lacerta, cold hardiness, mitochondria, superoxide, supercooling, freezing.
THE JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY1457 Uncoupling protein in a reptile when overgeneration of ROS is expected (Papa and Skulachev, 1997).Low temperatures followed by re-warming are probably one of the most commonly found ROS-generating stress in nature. Ectotherms survive these thanks to the contribution of cellular adaptive mechanisms that include, plasmic and mitochondrial membranes alteration, increase in mitochondrial volume density, specific isoenzymes and stress proteins synthesis (Johnston and Bennett, 1996). At subzero temperatures, freeze tolerance and increasing supercooling capacities constitute the two means of ectotherm survival. These two physiological states (frozen and supercooled) induced by sub-zero temperatures limit oxygen availability to tissues, compelling ectotherms to cope with potential oxidative stress generated by the transition between ischemic/anoxic conditions and the reperfusion of oxygenated blood during recovery (Hermes-Lima and Zenteno-Savin, 2002;Storey, 1996). Both increase in temperature and thawing are then concomitant with the oxygen reperfusion into tissues restoring organ aerobic metabolism, and potentially generate oxidative stress. However, data on reptiles submitted to supercooling, freezing and thawing conditions showed no significant oxidative damage on DNA and only slight increase of antioxidant defences (Voituron et al., 2006). These observations suggest the existence of other adaptive mechanisms such as ROS limitatio...