An examination of the metabolic processes underpinning critical swimming in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) using in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy.

Lurman, Glenn; Bock, Christian H; Pörtner, Hans-O (2007). An examination of the metabolic processes underpinning critical swimming in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) using in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Journal of Experimental Biology, 210(Pt 21), pp. 3749-3756. Company of Biologists 10.1242/jeb.008763

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Traditionally, critical swimming speed has been defined as the speed when a fish can no longer propel itself forward, and is exhausted. To gain a better understanding of the metabolic processes at work during a U(crit) swim test, and that lead to fatigue, we developed a method using in vivo (31)P-NMR spectroscopy in combination with a Brett-type swim tunnel. Our data showed that a metabolic transition point is reached when the fish change from using steady state aerobic metabolism to non-steady state anaerobic metabolism, as indicated by a significant increase in inorganic phosphate levels from 0.3+/-0.3 to 9.5+/-3.4 mol g(-1), and a drop in intracellular pH from 7.48+/-0.03 to 6.81+/-0.05 in muscle. This coincides with the point when the fish change gait from subcarangiform swimming to kick-and-glide bursts. As the number of kicks increased, so too did the Pi concentration, and the pH(i) dropped. Both changes were maximal at U(crit). A significant drop in Gibbs free energy change of ATP hydrolysis from -55.6+/-1.4 to -49.8+/-0.7 kJ mol(-1) is argued to have been involved in fatigue. This confirms earlier findings that the traditional definition of U(crit), unlike other critical points that are typically marked by a transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism, is the point of complete exhaustion of both aerobic and anaerobic resources.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Anatomy > Functional Anatomy

UniBE Contributor:

Lurman, Glenn

Subjects:

500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)

ISSN:

0022-0949

Publisher:

Company of Biologists

Language:

English

Submitter:

Glenn Lurman

Date Deposited:

11 Jul 2014 11:13

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:31

Publisher DOI:

10.1242/jeb.008763

PubMed ID:

17951415

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/46884

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