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Thoral E, Dawson NJ, Bettinazzi S, Rodríguez E. An evolving roadmap: using mitochondrial physiology to help guide conservation efforts. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae063. [PMID: 39252884 PMCID: PMC11381570 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
The crucial role of aerobic energy production in sustaining eukaryotic life positions mitochondrial processes as key determinants of an animal's ability to withstand unpredictable environments. The advent of new techniques facilitating the measurement of mitochondrial function offers an increasingly promising tool for conservation approaches. Herein, we synthesize the current knowledge on the links between mitochondrial bioenergetics, ecophysiology and local adaptation, expanding them to the wider conservation physiology field. We discuss recent findings linking cellular bioenergetics to whole-animal fitness, in the current context of climate change. We summarize topics, questions, methods, pitfalls and caveats to help provide a comprehensive roadmap for studying mitochondria from a conservation perspective. Our overall aim is to help guide conservation in natural populations, outlining the methods and techniques that could be most useful to assess mitochondrial function in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Thoral
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund 223 62, Sweden
| | - Neal J Dawson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH , UK
| | - Stefano Bettinazzi
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, 99-105 Gower Street, WC1E 6BT, London, UK
| | - Enrique Rodríguez
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Darwin Building, 99-105 Gower Street, WC1E 6BT, London, UK
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2
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Oefele M, Hau M, Ruuskanen S, Casagrande S. Mitochondrial function is enhanced by thyroid hormones during zebra finch development. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240417. [PMID: 39086825 PMCID: PMC11288688 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
An organism's response to its environment is largely determined by changes in the energy supplied by aerobic mitochondrial metabolism via adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. ATP is especially important under energy-demanding conditions, such as during rapid growth. It is currently poorly understood how environmental factors influence energy metabolism and mitochondrial functioning, but recent studies suggest the role of thyroid hormones (TH). TH are key regulators of growth and metabolism and can be flexibly adjusted to environmental conditions, such as environmental temperature or food availability. To test whether TH enhancement is causally linked to mitochondrial function and growth, we provided TH orally at physiological concentrations during the main growth phase in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) nestlings reared in a challenging environment. TH treatment accelerated maximal mitochondrial working capacity-a trait that reflects mitochondrial ATP production, without affecting growth. To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize the regulation of mitochondria by TH during development in a semi-naturalistic context and to address implications for fitness-related traits, such as growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Oefele
- Evolutionary Physiology Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, Seewiesen82319, Germany
| | - Michaela Hau
- Evolutionary Physiology Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, Seewiesen82319, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, KonstanzD-78464, Germany
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Environmental Physiology Research Group, University of Jyväskylä, Seminaarinkatu 15, University of Jyväskylä, JyväskyläFI-40014, Finland
| | - Stefania Casagrande
- Evolutionary Physiology Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, Seewiesen82319, Germany
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3
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Thoral E, García-Díaz CC, Persson E, Chamkha I, Elmér E, Ruuskanen S, Nord A. The relationship between mitochondrial respiration, resting metabolic rate and blood cell count in great tits. Biol Open 2024; 13:bio060302. [PMID: 38385271 PMCID: PMC10958200 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Although mitochondrial respiration is believed to explain a substantial part of the variation in resting metabolic rate (RMR), few studies have empirically studied the relationship between organismal and cellular metabolism. We therefore investigated the relationship between RMR and mitochondrial respiration of permeabilized blood cells in wild great tits (Parus major L.). We also studied the correlation between mitochondrial respiration traits and blood cell count, as normalizing mitochondrial respiration by the cell count is a method commonly used to study blood metabolism. In contrast to previous studies, our results show that there was no relationship between RMR and mitochondrial respiration in intact blood cells (i.e. with the ROUTINE respiration). However, when cells were permeabilized and interrelation re-assessed under saturating substrate availability, we found that RMR was positively related to phosphorylating respiration rates through complexes I and II (i.e. OXPHOS respiration) and to the mitochondrial efficiency to produce energy (i.e. net phosphorylation efficiency), though variation explained by the models was low (i.e. linear model: R2=0.14 to 0.21). However, unlike studies in mammals, LEAK respiration without [i.e. L(n)] and with [i.e. L(Omy)] adenylates was not significantly related to RMR. These results suggest that phosphorylating respiration in blood cells can potentially be used to predict RMR in wild birds, but that this relationship may have to be addressed in standardized conditions (permeabilized cells) and that the prediction risks being imprecise. We also showed that, in our conditions, there was no relationship between any mitochondrial respiration trait and blood cell count. Hence, we caution against normalising respiration rates using this parameter as is sometimes done. Future work should address the functional explanations for the observed relationships, and determine why these appear labile across space, time, taxon, and physiological state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Thoral
- Lund University, Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Carmen C. García-Díaz
- Lund University, Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Elin Persson
- Lund University, Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Imen Chamkha
- Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences, Mitochondrial Medicine, Sölvegatan 17, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eskil Elmér
- Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences, Mitochondrial Medicine, Sölvegatan 17, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Andreas Nord
- Lund University, Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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4
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Thoral E, Dargère L, Medina-Suárez I, Clair A, Averty L, Sigaud J, Morales A, Salin K, Teulier L. Non-lethal sampling for assessment of mitochondrial function does not affect metabolic rate and swimming performance. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220483. [PMID: 38186271 PMCID: PMC10772603 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
A fundamental issue in the metabolic field is whether it is possible to understand underlying mechanisms that characterize individual variation. Whole-animal performance relies on mitochondrial function as it produces energy for cellular processes. However, our lack of longitudinal measures to evaluate how mitochondrial function can change within and among individuals and with environmental context makes it difficult to assess individual variation in mitochondrial traits. The aims of this study were to test the repeatability of muscle mitochondrial metabolism by performing two biopsies of red muscle, and to evaluate the effects of biopsies on whole-animal performance in goldfish Carassius auratus. Our results show that basal mitochondrial respiration and net phosphorylation efficiency are repeatable at 14-day intervals. We also show that swimming performance (optimal cost of transport and critical swimming speed) was repeatable in biopsied fish, whereas the repeatability of individual oxygen consumption (standard and maximal metabolic rates) seemed unstable over time. However, we noted that the means of individual and mitochondrial traits did not change over time in biopsied fish. This study shows that muscle biopsies allow the measurement of mitochondrial metabolism without sacrificing animals and that two muscle biopsies 14 days apart affect the intraspecific variation in fish performance without affecting average performance of individuals. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolutionary significance of variation in metabolic rates'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Thoral
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund 223 62, Sweden
| | - Lauréliane Dargère
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Ione Medina-Suárez
- Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Unidad Asociada ULPGC-CSIC, Campus de Taliarte, 35214 Telde, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Angéline Clair
- Plateforme Animalerie Conventionnelle et Sauvage Expérimentale de la Doua (ACSED), Fédération de Recherche 3728, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENS-Lyon, INRAE, INSA, VetAgroSup 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laetitia Averty
- Plateforme Animalerie Conventionnelle et Sauvage Expérimentale de la Doua (ACSED), Fédération de Recherche 3728, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENS-Lyon, INRAE, INSA, VetAgroSup 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Justine Sigaud
- Plateforme Animalerie Conventionnelle et Sauvage Expérimentale de la Doua (ACSED), Fédération de Recherche 3728, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENS-Lyon, INRAE, INSA, VetAgroSup 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Anne Morales
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Karine Salin
- Ifremer, CNRS, RD, Laboratory of Environmental Marine Sciences, Université de Brest, 29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Loïc Teulier
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
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5
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Jiménez T, Peña-Villalobos I, Arcila J, Del Basto F, Palma V, Sabat P. The effects of urban thermal heterogeneity and feather coloration on oxidative stress and metabolism of pigeons (Columba livia). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169564. [PMID: 38142996 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization stands out as a significant anthropogenic factor, exerting selective pressures on ecosystems and biotic components. A notable outcome of urbanization is thermal heterogeneity where the emergence of Urban Heat Islands is characterized by elevated air and surface temperatures compared to adjacent rural areas. Investigating the influence of thermal heterogeneity on urban animals could offer insights into how temperature variations can lead to phenotypic shifts. Urban pigeons (Columba livia) serve as an excellent model for studying urban thermal effects, given the melanism variations, which are associated with the pleiotropy of the melanocortin system. To examine the development of physiological plasticity in response to urban thermal variations, we conducted a study on pigeons in Santiago, Chile, during the rainy season. We assessed the influence of habitat on physiological traits related to metabolism and antioxidant capacities, which are theoretically affected by feather coloration. Our findings reveal that variations in melanism significantly impact pigeon physiology, affecting both antioxidant capacities and the mitochondrial activity of red blood cells. It was found that higher urban temperatures, from both the current sampling month and the prior sampling month (from CRU TS dataset), were negatively and strongly associated with lower antioxidant and metabolic activities. This suggests that elevated urban temperatures likely benefit the energetic budgets of pigeon populations and mitigate the negative effects of oxidative metabolism, with differential effects depending on feather colorations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Jiménez
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isaac Peña-Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Laboratorio de Células troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Javiera Arcila
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Del Basto
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Verónica Palma
- Laboratorio de Células troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile; Millennium Nucleus of Patagonian Limit of Life (LiLi)
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6
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Crino OL, Head ML, Jennions MD, Noble DWA. Mitochondrial function and sexual selection: can physiology resolve the 'lek paradox'? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb245569. [PMID: 38206324 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Across many taxa, males use elaborate ornaments or complex displays to attract potential mates. Such sexually selected traits are thought to signal important aspects of male 'quality'. Female mating preferences based on sexual traits are thought to have evolved because choosy females gain direct benefits that enhance their lifetime reproductive success (e.g. greater access to food) and/or indirect benefits because high-quality males contribute genes that increase offspring fitness. However, it is difficult to explain the persistence of female preferences when males only provide genetic benefits, because female preferences should erode the heritable genetic variation in fitness that sexually selected traits signal. This 'paradox of the lek' has puzzled evolutionary biologists for decades, and inspired many hypotheses to explain how heritable variation in sexually selected traits is maintained. Here, we discuss how factors that affect mitochondrial function can maintain variation in sexually selected traits despite strong female preferences. We discuss how mitochondrial function can influence the expression of sexually selected traits, and we describe empirical studies that link the expression of sexually selected traits to mitochondrial function. We explain how mothers can affect mitochondrial function in their offspring by (a) influencing their developmental environment through maternal effects and (b) choosing a mate to increase the compatibility of mitochondrial and nuclear genes (i.e. the 'mitonuclear compatibility model of sexual selection'). Finally, we discuss how incorporating mitochondrial function into models of sexual selection might help to resolve the paradox of the lek, and we suggest avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondi L Crino
- School of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Megan L Head
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Centre, 10 Marais Street, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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7
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Coughlan K, Sadowska ET, Bauchinger U. Repeat Sampling of Female Passerines During Reproduction Reveals Surprising Higher Plasma Oxidative Damage During Resting Compared to Active State. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1197-1208. [PMID: 37698890 PMCID: PMC10755187 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional models of oxidative stress predict accumulation of damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as highly correlated with aerobic metabolism, a prediction under increasing scrutiny. Here, we repeat sampled female great tits (Parus major) at two opposite levels of energy use during the period of maximum food provisioning to nestlings, once at rest and once during activity. Our results were in contrast to the above prediction, namely significantly higher levels of oxidative damage during rest opposed to active phase. This discrepancy could not be explained neither using levels of "first line" antioxidant enzymes activity measured from erythrocytes, nor from total nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity measured from plasma, as no differences were found between states. Significantly higher levels of uric acid, a potent antioxidant, were seen in the plasma during the active phase than in rest phase, which may explain the lower levels of oxidative damage despite high levels of physical activity. Our results challenge the hypothesis that oxidative stress is elevated during times with high energy use and call for more profound understanding of potential drivers of the modulation of oxidative stress such as metabolic state of the animal, and thus also the time of sampling in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Coughlan
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta T Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteura St., 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Casagrande S, Dzialo M, Trost L, Malkoc K, Sadowska ET, Hau M, Pierce B, McWilliams S, Bauchinger U. Mitochondrial metabolism in blood more reliably predicts whole-animal energy needs compared to other tissues. iScience 2023; 26:108321. [PMID: 38025793 PMCID: PMC10679813 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding energy metabolism in free-ranging animals is crucial for ecological studies. In birds, red blood cells (RBCs) offer a minimally invasive method to estimate metabolic rate (MR). In this study with European starlings Sturnus vulgaris, we examined how RBC oxygen consumption relates to oxygen use in key tissues (brain, liver, heart, and pectoral muscle) and versus the whole organism measured at basal levels. The pectoral muscle accounted for 34%-42% of organismal MR, while the heart and liver, despite their high mass-specific metabolic rate, each contributed 2.5%-3.0% to organismal MR. Despite its low contribution to organismal MR (0.03%-0.04%), RBC MR best predicted organismal MR (r = 0.70). Oxygen consumption of the brain and pectoralis was also associated with whole-organism MR, unlike that of heart and liver. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the metabolism of a systemic tissue like blood is a superior proxy for organismal energy metabolism than that of other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Casagrande
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Evolutionary Physiology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Maciej Dzialo
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Environmental Sciences, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Lisa Trost
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department for Behavioral Neurobiology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Kasja Malkoc
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Evolutionary Physiology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | | | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Evolutionary Physiology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- University of Konstanz, Department of Biology, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Barbara Pierce
- Sacred Heart University, Department of Biology, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA
| | - Scott McWilliams
- University of Rhode Island, Department of Natural Resources Science, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Environmental Sciences, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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9
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Cossin-Sevrin N, Stier A, Hukkanen M, Zahn S, Viblanc VA, Anttila K, Ruuskanen S. Early-life environmental effects on mitochondrial aerobic metabolism: a brood size manipulation in wild great tits. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245932. [PMID: 37815441 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
In avian species, the number of chicks in the nest and subsequent sibling competition for food are major components of the offspring's early-life environment. A large brood size is known to affect chick growth, leading in some cases to long-lasting effects for the offspring, such as a decrease in size at fledgling and in survival after fledging. An important pathway underlying different growth patterns could be the variation in offspring mitochondrial metabolism through its central role in converting energy. Here, we performed a brood size manipulation in great tits (Parus major) to unravel its impact on offspring mitochondrial metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in red blood cells. We investigated the effects of brood size on chick growth and survival, and tested for long-lasting effects on juvenile mitochondrial metabolism and phenotype. As expected, chicks raised in reduced broods had a higher body mass compared with enlarged and control groups. However, mitochondrial metabolism and ROS production were not significantly affected by the treatment at either chick or juvenile stages. Interestingly, chicks raised in very small broods were smaller in size and had higher mitochondrial metabolic rates. The nest of rearing had a significant effect on nestling mitochondrial metabolism. The contribution of the rearing environment in determining offspring mitochondrial metabolism emphasizes the plasticity of mitochondrial metabolism in relation to the nest environment. This study opens new avenues regarding the effect of postnatal environmental conditions in shaping offspring early-life mitochondrial metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Cossin-Sevrin
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Mikaela Hukkanen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sandrine Zahn
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Vincent A Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Katja Anttila
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
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10
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Metcalfe NB, Bellman J, Bize P, Blier PU, Crespel A, Dawson NJ, Dunn RE, Halsey LG, Hood WR, Hopkins M, Killen SS, McLennan D, Nadler LE, Nati JJH, Noakes MJ, Norin T, Ozanne SE, Peaker M, Pettersen AK, Przybylska-Piech A, Rathery A, Récapet C, Rodríguez E, Salin K, Stier A, Thoral E, Westerterp KR, Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Wojciechowski MS, Monaghan P. Solving the conundrum of intra-specific variation in metabolic rate: A multidisciplinary conceptual and methodological toolkit: New technical developments are opening the door to an understanding of why metabolic rate varies among individual animals of a species: New technical developments are opening the door to an understanding of why metabolic rate varies among individual animals of a species. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2300026. [PMID: 37042115 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Researchers from diverse disciplines, including organismal and cellular physiology, sports science, human nutrition, evolution and ecology, have sought to understand the causes and consequences of the surprising variation in metabolic rate found among and within individual animals of the same species. Research in this area has been hampered by differences in approach, terminology and methodology, and the context in which measurements are made. Recent advances provide important opportunities to identify and address the key questions in the field. By bringing together researchers from different areas of biology and biomedicine, we describe and evaluate these developments and the insights they could yield, highlighting the need for more standardisation across disciplines. We conclude with a list of important questions that can now be addressed by developing a common conceptual and methodological toolkit for studies on metabolic variation in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil B Metcalfe
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jakob Bellman
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Pierre Bize
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Pierre U Blier
- Département de Biologie, Université de Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Canada
| | - Amélie Crespel
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Neal J Dawson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ruth E Dunn
- Lancaster Environment Centre, University of Lancaster, Lancaster, UK
| | - Lewis G Halsey
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Wendy R Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, USA
| | - Mark Hopkins
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, Leeds University, Leeds, UK
| | - Shaun S Killen
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Darryl McLennan
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lauren E Nadler
- Ocean and Earth Science, NOC, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Julie J H Nati
- Ocean Sciences Center, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Canada
| | - Matthew J Noakes
- School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Tommy Norin
- DTU Aqua: National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Amanda K Pettersen
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- School of Life & Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anna Przybylska-Piech
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology & Ecology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Alann Rathery
- School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Récapet
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, INRAE, ECOBIOP, Saint-Pée-sur-, Nivelle, France
| | - Enrique Rodríguez
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Karine Salin
- IFREMER, Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Laboratory of Environmental Marine Sciences, Plouzané, France
| | - Antoine Stier
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Elisa Thoral
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Klaas R Westerterp
- Department of Nutrition & Movement Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Michał S Wojciechowski
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology & Ecology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Pat Monaghan
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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11
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Nord A, Chamkha I, Elmér E. A whole blood approach improves speed and accuracy when measuring mitochondrial respiration in intact avian blood cells. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22766. [PMID: 36734850 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201749r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Understanding mitochondrial biology and pathology is key to understanding the evolution of animal form and function. However, mitochondrial measurement often involves invasive, or even terminal, sampling, which can be difficult to reconcile in wild models or longitudinal studies. Non-mammal vertebrates contain mitochondria in their red blood cells, which can be exploited for minimally invasive mitochondrial measurement. Several recent bird studies have measured mitochondrial function using isolated blood cells. Isolation adds time in the laboratory and might be associated with physiological complications. We developed and validated a protocol to measure mitochondrial respiration in bird whole blood. Endogenous respiration was comparable between isolated blood cells and whole blood. However, respiration towards oxidative phosphorylation was higher in whole blood, and whole blood mitochondria were better coupled and had higher maximum working capacity. Whole blood measurement was also more reproducible than measurement on isolated cells for all traits considered. Measurements were feasible over a 10-fold range of sample volumes, although both small and large volumes were associated with changes to respiratory traits. The protocol was compatible with long-term storage: after 24 h at 5°C without agitation, all respiration traits but maximum working capacity remained unchanged, the latter decreasing by 14%. Our study suggests that whole blood measurement provides faster, more reproducible, and more biologically and physiologically relevant (mitochondrial integrity) assessment of mitochondrial respiration. We recommend future studies to take a whole blood approach unless specific circumstances require the use of isolated blood cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Nord
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Imen Chamkha
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Mitochondrial Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eskil Elmér
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Mitochondrial Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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12
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Pacheco-Fuentes H, Ton R, Griffith SC. Short- and long-term consequences of heat exposure on mitochondrial metabolism in zebra finches (Taeniopygia castanotis). Oecologia 2023; 201:637-648. [PMID: 36894790 PMCID: PMC10038956 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05344-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the consequences of heat exposure on mitochondrial function is crucial as mitochondria lie at the core of metabolic processes, also affecting population dynamics. In adults, mitochondrial metabolism varies with temperature but can also depend on thermal conditions experienced during development. We exposed zebra finches to two alternative heat treatments during early development: "constant", maintained birds at ambient 35 °C from parental pair formation to fledglings' independence, while "periodic" heated broods at 40 °C, 6 h daily at nestling stage. Two years later, we acclimated birds from both experiments at 25 °C for 21 days, before exposing them to artificial heat (40 °C, 5 h daily for 10 days). After both conditions, we measured red blood cells' mitochondrial metabolism using a high-resolution respirometer. We found significantly decreased mitochondrial metabolism for Routine, Oxidative Phosphorylation (OxPhos) and Electron Transport System maximum capacity (ETS) after the heat treatments. In addition, the birds exposed to "constant" heat in early life showed lower oxygen consumption at the Proton Leak (Leak) stage after the heat treatment as adults. Females showed higher mitochondrial respiration for Routine, ETS and Leak independent of the treatments, while this pattern was reversed for OxPhos coupling efficiency (OxCE). Our results show that short-term acclimation involved reduced mitochondrial respiration, and that the reaction of adult birds to heat depends on the intensity, pattern and duration of temperature conditions experienced at early-life stages. Our study provides insight into the complexity underlying variation in mitochondrial metabolism and raises questions on the adaptive value of long-lasting physiological adjustments triggered by the early-life thermal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Riccardo Ton
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Simon C Griffith
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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13
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Metcalfe NB, Olsson M. How telomere dynamics are influenced by the balance between mitochondrial efficiency, reactive oxygen species production and DNA damage. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6040-6052. [PMID: 34435398 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that oxidative stress is a major cause of DNA damage and telomere attrition. Most endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in the mitochondria, producing a link between mitochondrial function, DNA integrity and telomere dynamics. In this review we will describe how ROS production, rates of damage to telomeric DNA and DNA repair are dynamic processes. The rate of ROS production depends on mitochondrial features such as the level of inner membrane uncoupling and the proportion of time that ATP is actively being produced. However, the efficiency of ATP production (the ATP/O ratio) is positively related to the rate of ROS production, so leading to a trade-off between the body's energy requirements and its need to prevent oxidative stress. Telomeric DNA is especially vulnerable to oxidative damage due to features such as its high guanine content; while repair to damaged telomere regions is possible through a range of mechanisms, these can result in more rapid telomere shortening. There is increasing evidence that mitochondrial efficiency varies over time and with environmental context, as do rates of DNA repair. We argue that telomere dynamics can only be understood by appreciating that the optimal solution to the trade-off between energetic efficiency and telomere protection will differ between individuals and will change over time, depending on resource availability, energetic demands and life history strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil B Metcalfe
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Mats Olsson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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14
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Quéméneur JB, Danion M, Cabon J, Collet S, Zambonino-Infante JL, Salin K. The relationships between growth rate and mitochondrial metabolism varies over time. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16066. [PMID: 36167968 PMCID: PMC9515119 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20428-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial metabolism varies significantly between individuals of the same species and can influence animal performance, such as growth. However, growth rate is usually determined before the mitochondrial assay. The hypothesis that natural variation in mitochondrial metabolic traits is linked to differences in both previous and upcoming growth remains untested. Using biopsies to collect tissue in a non-lethal manner, we tested this hypothesis in a fish model (Dicentrarchus labrax) by monitoring individual growth rate, measuring mitochondrial metabolic traits in the red muscle, and monitoring the growth of the same individuals after the mitochondrial assay. Individual variation in growth rate was consistent before and after the mitochondrial assay; however, the mitochondrial traits that explained growth variation differed between the growth rates determined before and after the mitochondrial assay. While past growth was correlated with the activity of the cytochrome c oxidase, a measure of mitochondrial density, future growth was linked to mitochondrial proton leak respiration. This is the first report of temporal shift in the relationship between growth rate and mitochondrial metabolic traits, suggesting an among-individual variation in temporal changes in mitochondrial traits. Our results emphasize the need to evaluate whether mitochondrial metabolic traits of individuals can change over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Quéméneur
- Ifremer, Laboratory of Environmental Marine Sciences, University Brest, CNRS, IRD, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Morgane Danion
- Anses, Ploufragan-Plouzané Niort Laboratory, VIMEP Unit, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Joëlle Cabon
- Anses, Ploufragan-Plouzané Niort Laboratory, VIMEP Unit, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Sophie Collet
- Ifremer, Laboratory of Environmental Marine Sciences, University Brest, CNRS, IRD, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | | | - Karine Salin
- Ifremer, Laboratory of Environmental Marine Sciences, University Brest, CNRS, IRD, 29280, Plouzané, France.
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15
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Lemonnier C, Bize P, Boonstra R, Dobson FS, Criscuolo F, Viblanc VA. Effects of the social environment on vertebrate fitness and health in nature: Moving beyond the stress axis. Horm Behav 2022; 145:105232. [PMID: 35853411 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Social interactions are a ubiquitous feature of the lives of vertebrate species. These may be cooperative or competitive, and shape the dynamics of social systems, with profound effects on individual behavior, physiology, fitness, and health. On one hand, a wealth of studies on humans, laboratory animal models, and captive species have focused on understanding the relationships between social interactions and individual health within the context of disease and pathology. On the other, ecological studies are attempting an understanding of how social interactions shape individual phenotypes in the wild, and the consequences this entails in terms of adaptation. Whereas numerous studies in wild vertebrates have focused on the relationships between social environments and the stress axis, much remains to be done in understanding how socially-related activation of the stress axis coordinates other key physiological functions related to health. Here, we review the state of our current knowledge on the effects that social interactions may have on other markers of vertebrate fitness and health. Building upon complementary findings from the biomedical and ecological fields, we identify 6 key physiological functions (cellular metabolism, oxidative stress, cellular senescence, immunity, brain function, and the regulation of biological rhythms) which are intimately related to the stress axis, and likely directly affected by social interactions. Our goal is a holistic understanding of how social environments affect vertebrate fitness and health in the wild. Whereas both social interactions and social environments are recognized as important sources of phenotypic variation, their consequences on vertebrate fitness, and the adaptive nature of social-stress-induced phenotypes, remain unclear. Social flexibility, or the ability of an animal to change its social behavior with resulting changes in social systems in response to fluctuating environments, has emerged as a critical underlying factor that may buffer the beneficial and detrimental effects of social environments on vertebrate fitness and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Lemonnier
- Ecole Normale Supérieur de Lyon, 69342 Lyon, France; Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Pierre Bize
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; Swiss Institute of Ornithology, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada
| | - F Stephen Dobson
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France; Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | | | - Vincent A Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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16
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Crino OL, Falk S, Katsis AC, Kraft FLOH, Buchanan KL. Mitochondria as the powerhouses of sexual selection: Testing mechanistic links between development, cellular respiration, and bird song. Horm Behav 2022; 142:105184. [PMID: 35596967 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The developmental environment can affect the expression of sexually selected traits in adulthood. The physiological mechanisms that modulate such effects remain a matter of intense debate. Here, we test the role of the developmental environment in shaping adult mitochondrial function and link mitochondrial function to expression of a sexually selected trait in males (bird song). We exposed male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to corticosterone (CORT) treatment during development. After males reached adulthood, we quantified mitochondrial function from whole red blood cells and measured baseline CORT and testosterone levels, body condition/composition, and song structure. CORT-treated males had mitochondria that were less efficient (FCRL/R) and used a lower proportion of maximum capacity (FCRR/ETS) than control males. Additionally, CORT-treated males had higher baseline levels of CORT as adults compared to control males. Using structural equation modelling, we found that the effects of CORT treatment during development on adult mitochondrial function were indirect and modulated by baseline CORT levels, which are programmed by CORT treatment during development. Developmental treatment also had an indirect effect on song peak frequency. Males treated with CORT during development sang songs with higher peak frequency than control males, but this effect was modulated through increased CORT levels and by a decrease in FCRR/ETS. CORT-treated males had smaller tarsi compared to control males; however, there were no associations between body size and measures of song frequency. Here, we provide the first evidence supporting links between the developmental environment, mitochondrial function, and the expression of a sexually selected trait (bird song).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondi L Crino
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Steph Falk
- School of Biological Science Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Institute of Immunology and Epigenetics, Max Planck Institute, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Andrew C Katsis
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Fanny-Linn O H Kraft
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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17
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Cossin-Sevrin N, Hsu BY, Marciau C, Viblanc VA, Ruuskanen S, Stier A. Effect of prenatal glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones on developmental plasticity of mitochondrial aerobic metabolism, growth and survival: an experimental test in wild great tits. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:jeb243414. [PMID: 35420125 PMCID: PMC10216743 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity is partly mediated by transgenerational effects, including those mediated by the maternal endocrine system. Glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones may play central roles in developmental programming through their action on metabolism and growth. However, the mechanisms by which they affect growth and development remain understudied. One hypothesis is that maternal hormones directly affect the production and availability of energy-carrying molecules (e.g. ATP) by their action on mitochondrial function. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally increased glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones in wild great tit eggs (Parus major) to investigate their impact on offspring mitochondrial aerobic metabolism (measured in blood cells), and subsequent growth and survival. We show that prenatal glucocorticoid supplementation affected offspring cellular aerobic metabolism by decreasing mitochondrial density, maximal mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, while increasing the proportion of the maximum capacity being used under endogenous conditions. Prenatal glucocorticoid supplementation only had mild effects on offspring body mass, size and condition during the rearing period, but led to a sex-specific (females only) decrease in body mass a few months after fledging. Contrary to our expectations, thyroid hormone supplementation did not affect offspring growth or mitochondrial metabolism. Recapture probability as juveniles or adults was not significantly affected by prenatal hormonal treatment. Our results demonstrate that prenatal glucocorticoids can affect post-natal mitochondrial density and aerobic metabolism. The weak effects on growth and apparent survival suggest that nestlings were mostly able to compensate for the transient decrease in mitochondrial aerobic metabolism induced by prenatal glucocorticoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Cossin-Sevrin
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Coline Marciau
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, TAS 7004, Australia
| | - Vincent A. Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
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18
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Stier A, Monaghan P, Metcalfe NB. Experimental demonstration of prenatal programming of mitochondrial aerobic metabolism lasting until adulthood. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212679. [PMID: 35232239 PMCID: PMC8889197 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly being postulated that among-individual variation in mitochondrial function underlies variation in individual performance (e.g. growth rate) and state of health. It has been suggested (but not adequately tested) that environmental conditions experienced before birth could programme postnatal mitochondrial function, with persistent effects potentially lasting into adulthood. We tested this hypothesis in an avian model by experimentally manipulating prenatal conditions (incubation temperature and stability) and then measuring mitochondrial aerobic metabolism in blood cells from the same individuals during the middle of the growth period and at adulthood. Mitochondrial aerobic metabolism changed markedly across life stages, and parts of these age-related changes were influenced by the prenatal temperature conditions. A high incubation temperature induced a consistent and long-lasting increase in mitochondrial aerobic metabolism. Postnatal mitochondrial aerobic metabolism was positively associated with oxidative damage on DNA but not telomere length. While we detected significant within-individual consistency in mitochondrial aerobic metabolism across life stages, the prenatal temperature regime only accounted for a relatively small proportion (less than 20%) of the consistent among-individual differences we observed. Our results demonstrate that prenatal conditions can programme consistent and long-lasting differences in mitochondrial function, which could potentially underlie among-individual variation in performance and health state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Neil B Metcalfe
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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19
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Holden KG, Hedrick AR, Gangloff EJ, Hall SJ, Bronikowski AM. Temperature-dependence of metabolism and fuel selection from cells to whole organisms. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:199-205. [PMID: 34855309 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Temperature affects nearly every aspect of how organisms interact with and are constrained by their environment. Measures of organismal energetics, such as metabolic rate, are highly temperature-dependent and governed through temperature effects on rates of biochemical reactions. Characterizing the relationships among levels of biological organization can lend insight into how temperature affects whole-organism function. We tested the temperature dependence of cellular oxygen consumption and its relationship to whole-animal metabolic rate in garter snakes (Thamnophis elegans). Additionally, we tested whether thermal responses were linked to shifts in the fuel source oxidized to support metabolism with the use of carbon stable isotopes. Our results demonstrate temperature dependence of metabolic rates across levels of biological organization. Cellular (basal, adenosine triphosphate-linked) and whole-animal rates of respiration increased with temperature but were not correlated within or among individuals, suggesting that variation in whole-animal metabolic rates is not due simply to variation at the cellular level, but rather other interacting factors across scales of biological organization. Counter to trends observed during fasting, elevated temperature did not alter fuel selection (i.e., natural-abundance stable carbon isotope composition in breath, δ13 Cbreath ). This consistency suggests the maintenance and oxidation of a single fuel source supporting metabolism across a broad range of metabolic demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn G Holden
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Ashley R Hedrick
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Eric J Gangloff
- Department of Zoology, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Steven J Hall
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Anne M Bronikowski
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
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20
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Udino E, George JM, McKenzie M, Pessato A, Crino OL, Buchanan KL, Mariette MM. Prenatal acoustic programming of mitochondrial function for high temperatures in an arid-adapted bird. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211893. [PMID: 34875198 PMCID: PMC8651415 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sound is an essential source of information in many taxa and can notably be used by embryos to programme their phenotypes for postnatal environments. While underlying mechanisms are mostly unknown, there is growing evidence for the involvement of mitochondria-main source of cellular energy (i.e. ATP)-in developmental programming processes. Here, we tested whether prenatal sound programmes mitochondrial metabolism. In the arid-adapted zebra finch, prenatal exposure to 'heat-calls'-produced by parents incubating at high temperatures-adaptively alters nestling growth in the heat. We measured red blood cell mitochondrial function, in nestlings exposed prenatally to heat- or control-calls, and reared in contrasting thermal environments. Exposure to high temperatures always reduced mitochondrial ATP production efficiency. However, as expected to reduce heat production, prenatal exposure to heat-calls improved mitochondrial efficiency under mild heat conditions. In addition, when exposed to an acute heat-challenge, LEAK respiration was higher in heat-call nestlings, and mitochondrial efficiency low across temperatures. Consistent with its role in reducing oxidative damage, LEAK under extreme heat was also higher in fast growing nestlings. Our study therefore provides the first demonstration of mitochondrial acoustic sensitivity, and brings us closer to understanding the underpinning of acoustic developmental programming and avian strategies for heat adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Udino
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3288, Australia
| | - Julia M. George
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Matthew McKenzie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3288, Australia
| | - Anaïs Pessato
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3288, Australia
| | - Ondi L. Crino
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3288, Australia
| | - Katherine L. Buchanan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3288, Australia
| | - Mylene M. Mariette
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3288, Australia
- Estación Biológica de Doñana EBD-CSIC, Seville, 41092, Spain
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21
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Navarrete L, Bozinovic F, Peña-Villalobos I, Contreras-Ramos C, Sanchez-Hernandez JC, Newsome SD, Nespolo RF, Sabat P. Integrative Physiological Responses to Acute Dehydration in the Rufous-Collared Sparrow: Metabolic, Enzymatic, and Oxidative Traits. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.767280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Predictions indicate that birds worldwide will be affected by global warming and extreme climatic events which is especially relevant for passerines because the diurnal habits, small body size, and high mass-adjusted metabolic rates of this group make it particularly susceptible to increases in temperature and aridity. Some bird species respond to conditions that stress osmoregulation by increasing their rates of energy expenditure, nevertheless, the effect of dehydration on metabolic rates in birds has produced contrasting results. It also remains unknown whether hydration state may cause shifts in tissue-specific metabolic rates or modify tissue oxidative status. We used the rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis), to experimentally test the effect of dehydration on metabolic enzymes in erythrocytes, tissue oxidative status, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and total evaporative water loss. We found a significant increase in mass-adjusted BMR in water restricted (WR) birds compared to control birds (CT). Activity of cytochrome-c-oxidase (COX) in red blood cells (RBCs) was also significantly higher in the WR group relative to the CT group and this activity was positively correlated with mass-adjusted BMR. We found a moderate effect of water restriction on membrane damage of skeletal muscle. In a second set of individuals subjected to the same experimental conditions, lean mass and total water were tightly correlated and decreased by 10 and 12%, respectively, in birds in the WR group relative to the CT group. Decreases in total water and lean mass leads to an increase in mass-adjusted BMR in WR Z. capensis, suggesting that birds may simultaneously increase protein catabolism and production of metabolic water through oxidation. The significant positive relationship between BMR and COX in RBCs is a finding that requires additional research to determine whether erythrocyte metabolism is affected by dehydration per se and or it more generally reflects rates of energy expenditure in birds.
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22
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Yap KN, Zhang Y. Revisiting the question of nucleated versus enucleated erythrocytes in birds and mammals. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2021; 321:R547-R557. [PMID: 34378417 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00276.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Erythrocyte enucleation is thought to have evolved in mammals to support their energetic cost of high metabolic activities. However, birds face similar selection pressure yet possess nucleated erythrocytes. Current hypotheses on the mammalian erythrocyte enucleation claim that the absence of cell organelles allows erythrocytes to 1) pack more hemoglobin into the cells to increase oxygen carrying capacity and 2) decrease erythrocyte size for increased surface area-to-volume ratio, and improved ability to traverse small capillaries. In this article, we first empirically tested current hypotheses using both conventional and phylogenetically informed analysis comparing literature values of mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean cell volume (MCV) between 181 avian and 194 mammalian species. We found no difference in MCHC levels between birds and mammals using both conventional and phylogenetically corrected analysis. MCV was higher in birds than mammals according to conventional analysis, but the difference was lost when we controlled for phylogeny. These results suggested that avian and mammalian erythrocytes may employ different strategies to solve a common problem. To further investigate existing hypotheses or develop new hypothesis, we need to understand the functions of various organelles in avian erythrocytes. Consequently, we covered potential physiological functions of various cell organelles in avian erythrocytes based on current knowledge, while making explicit comparisons to their mammalian counterparts. Finally, we proposed by taking an integrative and comparative approach, using tools from molecular biology to evolutionary biology, would allow us to better understand the fundamental physiological functions of various components of avian and mammalian erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Nian Yap
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- School of Health Studies, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
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23
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Nord A, Metcalfe NB, Page JL, Huxtable A, McCafferty DJ, Dawson NJ. Avian red blood cell mitochondria produce more heat in winter than in autumn. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21490. [PMID: 33829547 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100107r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Endotherms in cold regions improve heat-producing capacity when preparing for winter. We know comparatively little about how this change is fueled by seasonal adaptation in cellular respiration. Thus, we studied the changes of mitochondrial function in red blood cells in sympatric Coal (Periparus ater), Blue (Cyanistes caeruleus), and Great (Parus major) tits between autumn and winter. These species differ more than twofold in body mass and in several aspects of their foraging ecology and social dominance, which could require differential seasonal adaptation of energy expenditure. Coal and Great tits in particular upregulated the mitochondrial respiration rate and mitochondrial volume in winter. This was not directed toward ATP synthesis, instead reflecting increased uncoupling of electron transport from ATP production. Because uncoupling is exothermic, this increased heat-producing capacity at the sub-cellular level in winter. This previously unexplored the route of thermogenesis in birds should be addressed in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Nord
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, University of Glasgow, Rowardennan, UK
| | - Neil B Metcalfe
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jennifer L Page
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, University of Glasgow, Rowardennan, UK
| | - Anna Huxtable
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, University of Glasgow, Rowardennan, UK
| | - Dominic J McCafferty
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, University of Glasgow, Rowardennan, UK
| | - Neal J Dawson
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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24
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Malkoc K, Casagrande S, Hau M. Inferring Whole-Organism Metabolic Rate From Red Blood Cells in Birds. Front Physiol 2021; 12:691633. [PMID: 34335298 PMCID: PMC8322697 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.691633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic rate is a key ecological variable that quantifies the energy expenditure needed to fuel almost all biological processes in an organism. Metabolic rates are typically measured at the whole-organism level (woMR) with protocols that can elicit stress responses due to handling and confinement, potentially biasing resulting data. Improved, non-stressful methodology would be especially valuable for measures of field metabolic rate, which quantifies the energy expenditure of free-living individuals. Recently, techniques to measure cellular metabolic rate (cMR) in mitochondria of blood cells have become available, suggesting that blood-based cMR can be a proxy of organismal aerobic performance. Aerobic metabolism actually takes place in the mitochondria. Quantifying cMR from blood samples offers several advantages such as direct estimates of metabolism and minimized disturbance of individuals. To our knowledge, the hypothesis that blood-based cMR correlates with woMR has not yet been directly tested. We measured cMR in red blood cells of captive great tits (Parus major), first during their morning activity period and second after subjecting them to a 2.5 h day-time respirometry protocol to quantify woMR. We predicted cMR to decrease as individuals transitioned from an active to a resting state. In the two blood samples we also assessed circulating corticosterone concentrations to determine the perceived disturbance of individuals. From respirometry traces we extracted initial and final woMR measures to test for a predicted positive correlation with cMR measures, while accounting for corticosterone concentrations. Indeed, cMR declined from the first to the second measurement. Furthermore, woMR and cMR were positively related in individuals that had relatively low corticosterone concentrations and displayed little locomotor activity throughout respirometry. By contrast, woMR and cMR covaried negatively in birds that increased corticosterone concentrations and activity levels substantially. Our results show that red blood cell cMR represents a proxy for woMR when birds do not display signs of stress, i.e., either before increases in hormonal or behavioral parameters have occurred or after they have abated. This method represents a valuable tool for obtaining metabolic data repeatedly and in free-living individuals. Our findings also highlight the importance of accounting for individual stress responses when measuring metabolic rate at any level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasja Malkoc
- Research Group for Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Stefania Casagrande
- Research Group for Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Michaela Hau
- Research Group for Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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25
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Ton R, Stier A, Cooper CE, Griffith SC. Effects of Heat Waves During Post-natal Development on Mitochondrial and Whole Body Physiology: An Experimental Study in Zebra Finches. Front Physiol 2021; 12:661670. [PMID: 33986695 PMCID: PMC8110927 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.661670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves and exposure to these extreme temperatures impacts individual physiology and performance (e.g., metabolism, water balance, and growth). These traits may be susceptible to thermal conditions experienced during embryonic development, but experiments focusing on post-natal development are scant. Documented effects of heat waves on whole-body metabolism may reflect changes in mitochondrial function, but most studies do not measure physiological traits at both the cellular and whole organism levels. Here, we exposed nests of zebra finches to experimentally simulated heat waves for 18 days after hatching and measured body mass, growth rate, whole-body metabolic rate, body temperature, wet thermal conductance, evaporative water loss, and relative water economy of chicks at three ages corresponding to ectothermic (day 5), poikilothermic (day 12), and homoeothermic (day 50) stages. Additionally, we measured mitochondrial bioenergetics of blood cells 80 days post-hatch. While early-life exposure to heat wave conditions did not impact whole body metabolic and hygric physiology, body temperature was lower for birds from heated compared with control nests at both 12 and 50 days of age. There was also an effect of nest heating at the cellular level, with mitochondria from heated birds having higher endogenous and proton-leak related respiration, although oxidative phosphorylation, maximum respiratory capacity, and coupling efficiency were not impacted. Our results suggest that early-life exposure to high ambient temperature induces programming effects on cellular-level and thermal physiology that may not be apparent for whole-animal metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Ton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Christine E. Cooper
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Simon C. Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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26
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Koch RE, Buchanan KL, Casagrande S, Crino O, Dowling DK, Hill GE, Hood WR, McKenzie M, Mariette MM, Noble DWA, Pavlova A, Seebacher F, Sunnucks P, Udino E, White CR, Salin K, Stier A. Integrating Mitochondrial Aerobic Metabolism into Ecology and Evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:321-332. [PMID: 33436278 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Biologists have long appreciated the critical role that energy turnover plays in understanding variation in performance and fitness among individuals. Whole-organism metabolic studies have provided key insights into fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes. However, constraints operating at subcellular levels, such as those operating within the mitochondria, can also play important roles in optimizing metabolism over different energetic demands and time scales. Herein, we explore how mitochondrial aerobic metabolism influences different aspects of organismal performance, such as through changing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We consider how such insights have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning key ecological and evolutionary processes, from variation in life-history traits to adaptation to changing thermal conditions, and we highlight key areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Koch
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Stefania Casagrande
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolutionary Physiology Group, Seewiesen, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. Haus 5, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Ondi Crino
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Damian K Dowling
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Geoffrey E Hill
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Wendy R Hood
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | - Matthew McKenzie
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Mylene M Mariette
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- The Australian National University, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Alexandra Pavlova
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Frank Seebacher
- University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Paul Sunnucks
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Eve Udino
- Deakin University, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3228, Australia
| | - Craig R White
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Karine Salin
- Université de Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, IRD, Laboratory of Environmental Marine Sciences, Plouzané, 29280, France
| | - Antoine Stier
- University of Turku, Department of Biology, Turku, Finland; University of Glasgow, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Glasgow, UK
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27
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Goodchild CG, DuRant SE. Fluorescent Heme Degradation Products Are Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Linked to Impaired Membrane Integrity in Avian Red Blood Cells. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 93:129-139. [PMID: 32027232 DOI: 10.1086/707920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is generally understood to be an important mediator of life-history traits, yet the specific relationships between oxidative stress and life-history traits have been difficult to describe because there is often a lack of covariation among biomarkers of oxidative stress. For instance, although oxidative damage to red blood cell (RBC) membranes can lead to pathological conditions (i.e., anemia), in some cases there is not a clear relationship between lipid oxidation and RBC membrane resistance to pro-oxidants. Alternatively, oxidative damage to hemoglobin may be an indirect mechanism contributing to RBC membrane damage. To better understand the mechanisms contributing to oxidative damage and probe new approaches to measuring oxidative stress, we used a series of in vitro and in vivo procedures in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to explore (1) whether avian RBCs exposed to a pro-oxidant generate fluorescent heme degradation products (HDPs), (2) whether HDPs interact with RBC membranes, and (3) whether HDPs are linked to impaired RBC integrity. We found that finch RBCs exposed in vitro to hydrogen peroxide produced fluorescent HDPs and HDPs associated with RBC membranes. Exposure to hydrogen peroxide also caused a reduction in hemoglobin and an increase in percent methemoglobin (a hemoglobin oxidation product), further indicating hemoglobin degradation. Moreover, HDP fluorescence correlated with impaired membrane integrity and erythrocyte osmotic fragility in vivo. This study suggests that reactive oxygen species may indirectly impair RBC membrane integrity via hemoglobin degradation products that associate with RBC membranes and that HDPs may be an inexpensive and logistically simple tool for measuring oxidative stress.
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28
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Hsu BY, Sarraude T, Cossin-Sevrin N, Crombecque M, Stier A, Ruuskanen S. Testing for context-dependent effects of prenatal thyroid hormones on offspring survival and physiology: an experimental temperature manipulation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14563. [PMID: 32884067 PMCID: PMC7471313 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71511-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal effects via hormonal transfer from the mother to the offspring provide a tool to translate environmental cues to the offspring. Experimental manipulations of maternally transferred hormones have yielded increasingly contradictory results, which may be explained by differential effects of hormones under different environmental contexts. Yet context-dependent effects have rarely been experimentally tested. We therefore studied whether maternally transferred thyroid hormones (THs) exert context-dependent effects on offspring survival and physiology by manipulating both egg TH levels and post-hatching nest temperature in wild pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) using a full factorial design. We found no clear evidence for context-dependent effects of prenatal THs related to postnatal temperature on growth, survival and potential underlying physiological responses (plasma TH levels, oxidative stress and mitochondrial density). We conclude that future studies should test for other key environmental conditions, such as food availability, to understand potential context-dependent effects of maternally transmitted hormones on offspring, and their role in adapting to changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yan Hsu
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Tom Sarraude
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Cossin-Sevrin
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Mélanie Crombecque
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Antoine Stier
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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29
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Casagrande S, Stier A, Monaghan P, Loveland JL, Boner W, Lupi S, Trevisi R, Hau M. Increased glucocorticoid concentrations in early life cause mitochondrial inefficiency and short telomeres. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb222513. [PMID: 32532864 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.222513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are DNA structures that protect chromosome ends. However, telomeres shorten during cell replication and at critically low lengths can reduce cell replicative potential, induce cell senescence and decrease fitness. Stress exposure, which elevates glucocorticoid hormone concentrations, can exacerbate telomere attrition. This phenomenon has been attributed to increased oxidative stress generated by glucocorticoids ('oxidative stress hypothesis'). We recently suggested that glucocorticoids could increase telomere attrition during stressful periods by reducing the resources available for telomere maintenance through changes in the metabolic machinery ('metabolic telomere attrition hypothesis'). Here, we tested whether experimental increases in glucocorticoid levels affected telomere length and mitochondrial function in wild great tit (Parus major) nestlings during the energy-demanding early growth period. We monitored resulting corticosterone (Cort) concentrations in plasma and red blood cells, telomere lengths and mitochondrial metabolism (metabolic rate, proton leak, oxidative phosphorylation, maximal mitochondrial capacity and mitochondrial inefficiency). We assessed oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolites as well as the total non-enzymatic antioxidant protection in plasma. Compared with control nestlings, Cort-nestlings had higher baseline corticosterone, shorter telomeres and higher mitochondrial metabolic rate. Importantly, Cort-nestlings showed increased mitochondrial proton leak, leading to a decreased ATP production efficiency. Treatment groups did not differ in oxidative damage or antioxidants. Hence, glucocorticoid-induced telomere attrition is associated with changes in mitochondrial metabolism, but not with ROS production. These findings support the hypothesis that shortening of telomere length during stressful periods is mediated by glucocorticoids through metabolic rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Casagrande
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolutionary Physiology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Antoine Stier
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Jasmine L Loveland
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Behavioural Genetics and Evolutionary Ecology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Winifred Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Sara Lupi
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolutionary Physiology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, A-1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rachele Trevisi
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolutionary Physiology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Evolutionary Physiology Group, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, D-78464 Konstanz, Germany
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30
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Dawson N, Salmón P. Age-related increase in mitochondrial quantity may mitigate a decline in mitochondrial quality in red blood cells from zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Exp Gerontol 2020; 133:110883. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.110883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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31
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Norin T, Metcalfe NB. Ecological and evolutionary consequences of metabolic rate plasticity in response to environmental change. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 374:20180180. [PMID: 30966964 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Basal or standard metabolic rate reflects the minimum amount of energy required to maintain body processes, while the maximum metabolic rate sets the ceiling for aerobic work. There is typically up to three-fold intraspecific variation in both minimal and maximal rates of metabolism, even after controlling for size, sex and age; these differences are consistent over time within a given context, but both minimal and maximal metabolic rates are plastic and can vary in response to changing environments. Here we explore the causes of intraspecific and phenotypic variation at the organ, tissue and mitochondrial levels. We highlight the growing evidence that individuals differ predictably in the flexibility of their metabolic rates and in the extent to which they can suppress minimal metabolism when food is limiting but increase the capacity for aerobic metabolism when a high work rate is beneficial. It is unclear why this intraspecific variation in metabolic flexibility persists-possibly because of trade-offs with the flexibility of other traits-but it has consequences for the ability of populations to respond to a changing world. It is clear that metabolic rates are targets of selection, but more research is needed on the fitness consequences of rates of metabolism and their plasticity at different life stages, especially in natural conditions. This article is part of the theme issue 'The role of plasticity in phenotypic adaptation to rapid environmental change'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Norin
- 1 Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, MVLS, University of Glasgow , Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ , UK.,2 DTU Aqua: National Institute of Aquatic Resources , Kemitorvet Building 202, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby , Denmark
| | - Neil B Metcalfe
- 1 Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, MVLS, University of Glasgow , Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ , UK
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32
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Bury S, Cierniak A, Jakóbik J, Sadowska ET, Cichoń M, Bauchinger U. Cellular Turnover: A Potential Metabolic Rate-Driven Mechanism to Mitigate Accumulation of DNA Damage. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 93:90-96. [PMID: 32011970 DOI: 10.1086/707506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress, the imbalance of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant capacity, may cause damage to biomolecules pivotal for cellular processes (e.g., DNA). This may impair physiological performance and, therefore, drive life-history variation and aging rate. Because aerobic metabolism is supposed to be the main source of such oxidative risk, the rate of oxygen consumption should be positively associated with the level of damage and/or antioxidants. Empirical support for such relationships remains unclear, and recent considerations suggest even a negative relationship between metabolic rate and oxidative stress. We investigated the relationship between standard metabolic rate (SMR), antioxidants, and damage in blood plasma and erythrocytes for 35 grass snakes (Natrix natrix). Reactive oxygen metabolites (dROMs) and nonenzymatic antioxidants were assessed in plasma, while two measures of DNA damage and the capacity to neutralize H2O2 were measured in erythrocytes. Plasma antioxidants showed no correlation to SMR, and the level of dROMs was positively related to SMR. A negative relationship between antioxidant capacity and SMR was found in erythrocytes, but no association of SMR with either measure of DNA damage was detected. No increase in DNA damage, despite lower antioxidant capacity at high SMR, indicates an upregulation in other defense mechanisms (e.g., damage repair and/or removal). Indeed, we observed a higher frequency of immature red blood cells in individuals with higher SMR, which indicates that highly metabolic individuals had increased erythrocyte turnover, a mechanism of damage removal. Such DNA protection through upregulated cellular turnover might explain the negligible senescence observed in some ectotherm taxa.
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33
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Gutiérrez JS, Sabat P, Castañeda LE, Contreras C, Navarrete L, Peña-Villalobos I, Navedo JG. Oxidative status and metabolic profile in a long-lived bird preparing for extreme endurance migration. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17616. [PMID: 31772390 PMCID: PMC6879648 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54057-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The high metabolic activity associated with endurance flights and intense fuelling of migrant birds may produce large quantities of reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidative damage. Yet it remains unknown how long-lived birds prepare for oxidative challenges prior to extreme flights. We combined blood measurements of oxidative status and enzyme and fat metabolism in Hudsonian godwits (Limosa haemastica, a long-lived shorebird) before they embarked on non-stop flights longer than 10,000 km during their northbound migrations. We found that godwits increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reduced oxidative damage (TBARS) as the pre-migratory season progressed, despite higher basal metabolic rates before departure. Elevations in plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and uric acid suggest that lipid and protein breakdown supports energetic requirements prior to migration. Significant associations between blood mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase and plasma TAC (negative) and TBARS (positive) during winter indicate that greater enzyme activity can result in greater oxidative damage and antioxidant responses. However enzyme activity remained unchanged between winter and premigratory stages, so birds may be unable to adjust metabolic enzyme activity in anticipation of future demands. These results indicate that godwits enhance their oxidative status during migratory preparation, which might represent an adaptation to diminish the physiological costs of long-distance migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge S Gutiérrez
- Estación Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile.
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis E Castañeda
- Programa de Genética Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Contreras
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lucas Navarrete
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isaac Peña-Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan G Navedo
- Estación Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile
- Bird Ecology Lab, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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34
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Stier A, Bize P, Hsu BY, Ruuskanen S. Plastic but repeatable: rapid adjustments of mitochondrial function and density during reproduction in a wild bird species. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190536. [PMID: 31718511 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Most of the energy fluxes supporting animal performance flow through mitochondria. Hence, inter-individual differences in performance might be rooted in inter-individual variations in mitochondrial function and density. Furthermore, because the energy required by an individual often changes across life stages, mitochondrial function and density are also expected to show within-individual variation (i.e. plasticity). No study so far has repeatedly measured mitochondrial function and density in the same individuals to simultaneously test for within-individual repeatability and plasticity of mitochondrial traits. Here, we repeatedly measured mitochondrial DNA copy number (a proxy of density) and respiration rates from blood cells of female pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) at the incubation and chick-rearing stages. Mitochondrial density and respiration rates were all repeatable (R = [0.45; 0.80]), indicating high within-individual consistency in mitochondrial traits across life-history stages. Mitochondrial traits were also plastic, showing a quick (i.e. 10 days) downregulation from incubation to chick-rearing in mitochondrial density, respiratory activity, and cellular regulation by endogenous substrates and/or ATP demand. These downregulations were partially compensated by an increase in mitochondrial efficiency at the chick-rearing stage. Therefore, our study provides clear evidence for both short-term plasticity and high within-individual consistency in mitochondrial function and density during reproduction in a wild bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Pierre Bize
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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35
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Costantini D. Understanding diversity in oxidative status and oxidative stress: the opportunities and challenges ahead. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/13/jeb194688. [PMID: 31266782 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.194688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress may be of profound biological relevance. In this Commentary, I discuss some key issues faced by the emerging field of oxidative stress ecology, and seek to provide interpretations and solutions. First, I show that the way in which we define oxidative stress has far-reaching implications for the interpretation of results, and that we need to distinguish between (1) a biochemical definition in terms of the molecular outcomes of oxidative stress (e.g. generation of oxidative damage) and (2) a biological definition in terms of the fitness consequences for the organism (e.g. effects on fertility). Second, I discuss the dangers of comparing different tissues and markers. Third, I highlight the need to pay more attention to the cross-talk between oxidative stress and other important physiological costs and functions; this will allow us to better understand the mechanistic basis of fitness costs. Fourth, I propose the 'redox signalling hypothesis' of life history to complement the current 'oxidative stress hypothesis' of life history. The latter states that oxidative damage underlies trade-offs because it affects traits like growth, reproduction or cell senescence. By contrast, the redox signalling hypothesis states that a trade-off between signalling and biochemical oxidative stress underlies the regulation of reactive oxygen species production and their subsequent control. Finally, I critically appraise our current knowledge of oxidative stress ecology, highlighting key research themes and providing an optimistic overview of future opportunities for the discipline to yield considerable insight into the ecological and evolutionary meaning of oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Costantini
- UMR 7221 CNRS/MNHN, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
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Stier A, Schull Q, Bize P, Lefol E, Haussmann M, Roussel D, Robin JP, Viblanc VA. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial responses to stress exposure suggest that king penguins are naturally equipped to resist stress. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8545. [PMID: 31189949 PMCID: PMC6561961 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44990-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to unpredictable environmental stressors could influence animal health and fitness by inducing oxidative stress, potentially through downstream effects of glucocorticoid stress hormones (e.g. corticosterone) on mitochondrial function. Yet, it remains unclear whether species that have evolved in stochastic and challenging environments may present adaptations to alleviate the effects of stress exposure on oxidative stress. We tested this hypothesis in wild king penguins by investigating mitochondrial and oxidative stress responses to acute restraint-stress, and their relationships with baseline (potentially mirroring exposure to chronic stress) and stress-induced increase in corticosterone levels. Acute restraint-stress did not significantly influence mitochondrial function. However, acute restraint-stress led to a significant increase in endogenous antioxidant defences, while oxidative damage levels were mostly not affected or even decreased. High baseline corticosterone levels were associated with an up-regulation of the glutathione antioxidant system and a decrease in mitochondrial efficiency. Both processes might contribute to prevent oxidative damage, potentially explaining the negative relationship observed between baseline corticosterone and plasma oxidative damage to proteins. While stress exposure can represent an oxidative challenge for animals, protective mechanisms like up-regulating antioxidant defences and decreasing mitochondrial efficiency seem to occur in king penguins, allowing them to cope with their stochastic and challenging environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. .,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. .,Université d'Angers, Angers, France.
| | - Quentin Schull
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Bize
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Emilie Lefol
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France.,Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Mark Haussmann
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, USA
| | - Damien Roussel
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés, CNRS UMR 5023, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Patrice Robin
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Vincent A Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
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Stier A, Schull Q, Bize P, Lefol E, Haussmann M, Roussel D, Robin JP, Viblanc VA. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial responses to stress exposure suggest that king penguins are naturally equipped to resist stress. Sci Rep 2019. [PMID: 31189949 DOI: 10.1002/10.1038/s41598-019-44990-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to unpredictable environmental stressors could influence animal health and fitness by inducing oxidative stress, potentially through downstream effects of glucocorticoid stress hormones (e.g. corticosterone) on mitochondrial function. Yet, it remains unclear whether species that have evolved in stochastic and challenging environments may present adaptations to alleviate the effects of stress exposure on oxidative stress. We tested this hypothesis in wild king penguins by investigating mitochondrial and oxidative stress responses to acute restraint-stress, and their relationships with baseline (potentially mirroring exposure to chronic stress) and stress-induced increase in corticosterone levels. Acute restraint-stress did not significantly influence mitochondrial function. However, acute restraint-stress led to a significant increase in endogenous antioxidant defences, while oxidative damage levels were mostly not affected or even decreased. High baseline corticosterone levels were associated with an up-regulation of the glutathione antioxidant system and a decrease in mitochondrial efficiency. Both processes might contribute to prevent oxidative damage, potentially explaining the negative relationship observed between baseline corticosterone and plasma oxidative damage to proteins. While stress exposure can represent an oxidative challenge for animals, protective mechanisms like up-regulating antioxidant defences and decreasing mitochondrial efficiency seem to occur in king penguins, allowing them to cope with their stochastic and challenging environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. .,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. .,Université d'Angers, Angers, France.
| | - Quentin Schull
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Bize
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Emilie Lefol
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France.,Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Mark Haussmann
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, USA
| | - Damien Roussel
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés, CNRS UMR 5023, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Patrice Robin
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Vincent A Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
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Velando A, Noguera JC, da Silva A, Kim SY. Redox-regulation and life-history trade-offs: scavenging mitochondrial ROS improves growth in a wild bird. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2203. [PMID: 30778088 PMCID: PMC6379414 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38535-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that animals usually restrain their growth because fast growth leads to an increased production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS), which can damage mitochondrial DNA and promote mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we explicitly test whether this occurs in a wild bird by supplementing chicks with a mitochondria-targeted ROS scavenger, mitoubiquinone (mitoQ), and examining growth rates and mtDNA damage. In the yellow-legged gull Larus michahellis, mitoQ supplementation increased the early growth rate of chicks but did not reduce mtDNA damage. The level of mtDNA damage was negatively correlated with chick mass, but this relationship was not affected by the mitoQ treatment. We also found that chick growth was positively correlated with both mtDNA copy number and the mitochondrial enzymatic activity of citrate synthase, suggesting a link between mitochondrial content and growth. Additionally, we found that MitoQ supplementation increased mitochondrial content (in males), altered the relationship between mtDNA copy number and damage, and downregulated some transcriptional pathways related to cell rejuvenation, suggesting that scavenging mtROS during development enhanced growth rates but at the expense of cellular turnover. Our study confirms the central role of mitochondria modulating life-history trade-offs during development by other mechanisms than mtROS-inflicted damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Velando
- Animal Ecology Group (GEA), Lab 97, Torre CACTI, Campus As Lagoas, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Jose C Noguera
- Animal Ecology Group (GEA), Lab 97, Torre CACTI, Campus As Lagoas, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Alberto da Silva
- Animal Ecology Group (GEA), Lab 97, Torre CACTI, Campus As Lagoas, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Sin-Yeon Kim
- Animal Ecology Group (GEA), Lab 97, Torre CACTI, Campus As Lagoas, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
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Hood WR, Zhang Y, Mowry AV, Hyatt HW, Kavazis AN. Life History Trade-offs within the Context of Mitochondrial Hormesis. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:567-577. [PMID: 30011013 PMCID: PMC6145418 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary biologists have been interested in the negative interactions among life history traits for nearly a century, but the mechanisms that would create this negative interaction remain poorly understood. One variable that has emerged as a likely link between reproductive effort and longevity is oxidative stress. Specifically, it has been proposed that reproduction generates free radicals that cause oxidative stress and, in turn, oxidative stress damages cellular components and accelerates senescence. We propose that there is limited support for the hypothesis because reactive oxygen species (ROS), the free radicals implicated in oxidative damage, are not consistently harmful. With this review, we define the hormetic response of mitochondria to ROS, termed mitochondrial hormesis, and describe how to test for a mitohormetic response. We interpret existing data using our model and propose that experimental manipulations will further improve our knowledge of this response. Finally, we postulate how the mitohormetic response curve applies to variation in animal performance and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- W R Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Y Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
| | - A V Mowry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Product Development, Stimlabs, Roswell, GA 30076, USA
| | - H W Hyatt
- School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - A N Kavazis
- School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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40
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Koch RE, Hill GE. Do carotenoid‐based ornaments entail resource trade‐offs? An evaluation of theory and data. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Koch
- Department of Biological SciencesAuburn University Auburn Alabama
- School of Biological SciencesMonash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| | - Geoffrey E. Hill
- Department of Biological SciencesAuburn University Auburn Alabama
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41
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Koch RE, Hill GE. Behavioural mating displays depend on mitochondrial function: a potential mechanism for linking behaviour to individual condition. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1387-1398. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Koch
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn AL 36849 U.S.A
| | - Geoffrey E. Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn AL 36849 U.S.A
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Stier A, Dupoué A, Picard D, Angelier F, Brischoux F, Lourdais O. Oxidative stress in a capital breeder ( Vipera aspis) facing pregnancy and water constraints. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:1792-1796. [PMID: 28292781 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.156752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The physiological mechanisms underlying the 'cost of reproduction' remain under debate, though oxidative stress has emerged as a potential candidate. The 'oxidative cost of reproduction' has received considerable attention with regards to food and antioxidant availability; however, the limitation of water availability has thus far been neglected. In this study, we experimentally examined the combined effect of pregnancy and water deprivation on oxidative status in a viviparous snake (Vipera aspis), a species naturally exposed to periods of water and food deprivation. We predicted a cumulative effect of pregnancy and dehydration on oxidative stress levels. Our results support the occurrence of an oxidative cost of reproduction as we found higher oxidative damage levels in pregnant females than in non-reproductive individuals, despite an up-regulation of antioxidant defences. Surprisingly, water deprivation was associated with an up-regulation of antioxidant defences, and did not increase oxidative damage, either alone or in combination with reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Stier
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK .,Université d'Angers, Angers 49000, France
| | - Andréaz Dupoué
- CNRS UPMC, UMR 7618, iEES Paris, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 7 Quai St Bernard, Paris 75005, France
| | | | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS Université de La Rochelle UMR 7372, La Rochelle, Villiers en Bois 79360, France
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS Université de La Rochelle UMR 7372, La Rochelle, Villiers en Bois 79360, France
| | - Olivier Lourdais
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS Université de La Rochelle UMR 7372, La Rochelle, Villiers en Bois 79360, France
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Sunnucks P, Morales HE, Lamb AM, Pavlova A, Greening C. Integrative Approaches for Studying Mitochondrial and Nuclear Genome Co-evolution in Oxidative Phosphorylation. Front Genet 2017; 8:25. [PMID: 28316610 PMCID: PMC5334354 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2017.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In animals, interactions among gene products of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes (mitonuclear interactions) are of profound fitness, evolutionary, and ecological significance. Most fundamentally, the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes responsible for cellular bioenergetics are formed by the direct interactions of 13 mitochondrial-encoded and ∼80 nuclear-encoded protein subunits in most animals. It is expected that organisms will develop genomic architecture that facilitates co-adaptation of these mitonuclear interactions and enhances biochemical efficiency of OXPHOS complexes. In this perspective, we present principles and approaches to understanding the co-evolution of these interactions, with a novel focus on how genomic architecture might facilitate it. We advocate that recent interdisciplinary advances assist in the consolidation of links between genotype and phenotype. For example, advances in genomics allow us to unravel signatures of selection in mitochondrial and nuclear OXPHOS genes at population-relevant scales, while newly published complete atomic-resolution structures of the OXPHOS machinery enable more robust predictions of how these genes interact epistatically and co-evolutionarily. We use three case studies to show how integrative approaches have improved the understanding of mitonuclear interactions in OXPHOS, namely those driving high-altitude adaptation in bar-headed geese, allopatric population divergence in Tigriopus californicus copepods, and the genome architecture of nuclear genes coding for mitochondrial functions in the eastern yellow robin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Sunnucks
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, ClaytonVIC, Australia
| | - Hernán E. Morales
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, ClaytonVIC, Australia
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of GothenburgGothenburg, Sweden
| | - Annika M. Lamb
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, ClaytonVIC, Australia
| | - Alexandra Pavlova
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, ClaytonVIC, Australia
| | - Chris Greening
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, ClaytonVIC, Australia
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