Cold exposure depolarizes cells in insects due to a reduced electrogenic ion transport and a gradual increase in extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]). Cold-induced depolarization is linked to cold injury in chill-susceptible insects, and the locust, Locusta migratoria, has been shown to improve cold tolerance following cold acclimation through depolarization resistance. Here we investigate how cold acclimation influences depolarization resistance and how this resistance relates to improved cold tolerance. To address this question, we investigated if cold acclimation affects the electrogenic transport capacity and/or the relative K+ permeability during cold exposure by measuring membrane potentials of warm- and cold-acclimated locusts in the presence and absence of ouabain (Na+-K+ pump blocker) or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP; voltage-gated K+ channel blocker). In addition, we compared the membrane lipid composition of muscle tissue from warm- and cold-acclimated locust and the abundance of a range transcripts related to ion transport and cell injury accumulation. We found that cold-acclimated locusts are depolarization resistant due to an elevated K+ permeability, facilitated by opening of 4-AP-sensitive K+ channels. In accordance, cold acclimation was associated with an increased abundance of Shaker transcripts (gene encoding 4-AP-sensitive voltage-gated K+ channels). Furthermore, we found that cold acclimation improved muscle cell viability following exposure to cold and hyperkalemia even when muscles were depolarized substantially. Thus cold acclimation confers resistance to depolarization by altering the relative ion permeability, but cold-acclimated locusts are also more tolerant to depolarization.
- MeSH
- 4-Aminopyridine pharmacology MeSH
- Acclimatization drug effects physiology MeSH
- Muscle Fibers, Skeletal drug effects physiology MeSH
- Locusta migratoria physiology MeSH
- Membrane Potentials drug effects physiology MeSH
- Cold Temperature * MeSH
- Ouabain pharmacology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
The diacylglycerols (DG) molecular species and their fatty acid (FA) composition were investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and by gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) in haemolymph of Locusta migratoria after application of adipokinetic hormones Locmi-AKH-I, -II and -III. The analyses showed (1) a heterogeneous distribution of individual DGs in haemolymph after the hormone application. The results revealed that mobilization of the DGs is molecular species-specific with the highest proportion of 34:1 DG (16:0/18:1 - mw 594Da) for all Locmi-AKHs bearing palmitic acid (C16:0) and oleic acid (C18:1) residues, and forming about 20% of the total mobilized DG content. (2) Analysis of fat body triacylglycerols revealed that all Locmi-AKHs mobilize the DGs selectively with the preference of those possessing the C18 and C16 FAs. The fat body FAs with carbon chain longer than 18 did not participate in the mobilization. (3) A distribution of FAs in the DG structures obtained by LC/ESI-MS, and FA analysis by GC-FID after transmethylation indicated a certain degree of Locmi-AKH selectivity toward the mobilized DGs and hence the FAs. The Locmi-AKH-I significantly prefers mobilization of DGs containing unsaturated FAs, while Locmi-AKH-II and -III prefer mobilization of saturated FAs.
- MeSH
- Diglycerides metabolism MeSH
- Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization MeSH
- Insect Hormones metabolism MeSH
- Insect Proteins metabolism MeSH
- Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid analogs & derivatives metabolism MeSH
- Locusta migratoria metabolism MeSH
- Oligopeptides metabolism MeSH
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
