Low temperature acclimation of guard cell chloroplasts by the arctic plant Saxifraga cernua L.

Abstract. The potential for thermal acclimation of photosynthetic electron transport by guard cell chloropiasts (GC ch) was assessed in epidermal peels taken from the abaxial side of Saxifraga cernua leaves grown at 20°C and 10°C. Chlorophyll a fluorescence induction kinetics measured in pairs of guard cells in individual stomata from tissue grown at 10 °C demonstrated a rise in the fluorescence to a maximum and a larger amplitude in variable fluorescence when measured at temperatures below 18°C than was seen in GC ch from tissue grown at 20°C. The rates of fluorescence quenching in 10°C-grown tissue were also faster than in 20°C-grown tissue when measured at temperatures below 18°C. State 1-State 2 transitions by GC ch were measured at selected temperatures between 5 and 25 °C as changes in the magnitude of the fluorescence emission maxima at 685, 695 and 730nm (F685, F695 and F730) measured at 77K. At measuring temperatures of 5 and 10°C, GC ch in tissue grown at 10 °C showed a greater transition to State 2 (a larger F730/F695 ratio) than did GC ch in tissue grown at 20 °C. At measuring temperatures of 20 and 25 °C, there was no difference in either the kinetics or the magnitude of the State 1 to State 2 transition in the two tissues. The ultrastructure of GC ch from tissues grown at 10 and 20 °C was also examined using transmission electron microscopy. Less than half (48%) of the grana from the higher temperature grown tissue had more than nine thylakoids/grana. Grana in GC ch which had developed at 10 °C showed a dramatic reduction in stacking, such that 85% of the grana contained no more than two thylakoids. The reduction in grana stacking was also accompanied by a decrease in the degree of appression of thylakoid membranes. The results demonstrate a capacity for thermal acclimation of GC ch function to low temperatures. This acclimation is associated with alterations in the chloroplast ultrastructure.     

Effect of pre- and post-heat shock temperature on the persistence of thermotolerance and heat shock-induced proteins in Listeria monocytogenes

The effect of incubation temperature, before and after a heat shock, on thermotolerance of Listeria monocytogenes at 58°C was investigated. Exposing cells grown at 10°C and 30°C to a heat shock resulted in similar rises in thermotolerance while the increase was significantly higher when cells were grown at 4°C prior to the heat shock. Cells held at 4°C and 10°C after heat shock maintained heat shock-induced thermotolerance for longer than cells held at 30°C. The growth temperature prior to inactivation had negligible effect on the persistence of heat shock-induced thermotolerance. Concurrent with measurements of thermotolerance were measurements of the levels of heat shock-induced proteins. Major proteins showing increased synthesis upon the heat shock had approximate molecular weights of 84, 74, 63, 25 and 19 kDa. There was little correlation between the loss of thermotolerance after the heat shock and the levels of these proteins. Thermotolerance of heat shocked and non-heat shocked cells was described by traditional log-linear kinetics and a model describing a sigmoidal death curve (logistic model). Employing log-linear kinetics resulted in a poor fit to a major part of the data whereas a good fit was achieved by the use of a logistic model.     

Development and characterization of cell lines from heart, liver, spleen and head kidney of sea perch Lateolabrax japonicus

Five cell lines (LJHK, LJS, LJL, LJH-1 and LJH-2) were established from the head kidney, spleen, liver and heart of sea perch Lateolabrax japonicus . The cell lines LJHK, LJS, LJL, LJH-1 and LJH-2 were subcultured 46, 32, 32, 36 and 34 times in minimum essential medium (MEM) supplemented with foetal bovine serum (FBS), sea perch serum and 10 ng ml⁻¹ basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Morphology of primary cultures and subcultures of the five cell lines were observed continuously by microscopy. The suitable temperature for growth was 18 to 30° C for all of these cell lines with the optimum growth at 24° C and a reduced growth rate <18° C. The optimum concentration of FBS was found to be 10% and addition of bFGF to the medium significantly increased the growth rate of the cells. The doubling time of LJS, LJH-1, LJL, LJH-2 and LJHK cells was determined to be 52·7, 54·9, 57, 58·7 and 66 h at a plating density of 1 × 10⁵ cells ml⁻¹ at 24° C, respectively. Chromosome analysis revealed that 42, 48, 38, 43 and 45% cells maintained normal diploid chromosome number (48) in the LJH-1, LJH-2, LJHK, LJL and LJS cell lines, respectively. The LJHK cells were successfully transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter plasmids and the expression of GFP gene in the cells indicated the possible utility of the cells in gene expression studies. Furthermore, treatment of the LJHK cells with lipopolysaccharide led to increased expression of IL-1β, demonstrating that LJHK cells might be a valuable tool for studying the expression and function of immunomodulatory gene in fishes.     

Temperature comparisons for antibody production in vitro by plaque-forming cells from trout, Salmo gairdneri (Richardson), and mice

Anterior kidney and splenic cells were taken from rainbow trout and splenic cells from BALB/c mice immunized with a T-dependent (sheep red blood cells) or T-independent (DNP-Ficoll) antigen. The cells were incubated at different temperatures in Jerne plaque assays (direct or passive haemolytic plaque assays). The optimum numbers of in vitro plaque-forming cells (PFC) after incubation with homologous complement were directly correlated with normal body temperatures of the respective species. The optimum incubation temperature was 37°C for mouse cells and 10°C for fish cells. Incubation of mouse cells at lower temperatures of 30, 20, 10, 4 or 0°C appeared to yield a direct line reduction in numbers of PFC. Trout cells developed significantly fewer PFC at 4 and 20°C and none at 30°C or above; however, significant numbers still appeared at 0°C. More PFC per million white blood cells were obtained from the anterior kidney; however, related to temperatures, no differences in development of numbers of PFC could be seen between the spleen and anterior kidney cells of trout. When the incubation time was lengthened for both trout and mouse cells held at low temperatures, the numbers of PFC approached those of the cells incubated at the optimum temperatures for 10 h.     

Influence of the sporulation temperature upon the heat resistance of Bacillus subtilis

The influence of different sporulation temperatures (30, 37, 44 and 52°C) upon heat resistance of Bacillus subtilis was investigated.
Heat resistance was greater after higher sporulation temperatures. Relation of heat resistance and temperature of sporulation was not linear over all the range of temperatures tested. Heat resistance increased about tenfold in the range of 30–44°C. Sporulation at 52°C did not show any further increase in heat resistance.
This effect was constant over all the range of heating temperatures tested (100–120°C). z value remained constant ( z = 9°C).
Greater heat resistances at higher temperatures of sporulation were not due to selection of more heat resistant cells by a higher sporulation temperature. Spores obtained from cells incubated at 32 or 52°C always possessed heat resistances that corresponded to the sporulation temperature regardless of the incubation temperature of their vegetative cells.     

Effect of culture age, pre-incubation at low temperature and pH on the thermal resistance of Aeromonas hydrophila

S. CONDON, M.L. GARCIA, A. OTERO AND F.J. SALA. 1992. The thermal resistance of Aeromonas hydrophila strain NCTC 8049 was determined within the range 48°-65°C with a thermoresistometer TR-SC and McIlvaine buffer. The effects of culture age, pre-incubation at 7°C and the pH of the heating menstruum were evaluated. The pattern of thermal death was dependent on culture age. Cells heated in the late logarithmic growth phase (15 h at 30°C) were twice as resistant as those in the early stage (5 h at 30°C), and the maximum D -value was obtained after 72 h incubation (5.5 total increase). The age of the cells did not affect z -values significantly. The heat resistance of cells incubated for 48 h at 30°C increased (twice) after holding at 7°C for 72 h. Pre-incubation at low temperature of older cultures (72 h, 30°C) did not influence their D -values. Maximum heat resistance was found at pH 6.0 and minimal at pH 4.0. Decreasing the pH from 6.0 4.0 reduced D -values by a factor of 5. Although the strain studied was heat-sensitive ( D _55°C= 0.17 min; z = 5.11°C), survivor curves of cultures older than 50 h showed a significant tailing. Organisms surviving in the tails were only slightly more resistant than were the original population.     

Vrp1p functions in both actomyosin ring-dependent and Hof1p-dependent pathways of cytokinesis

Vrp1p/verprolin/End5p is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae proline-rich protein, structurally and functionally related to human Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein-interacting protein. Vrp1p is required for viability at 37°C, but not 24°C. Here, we show that loss of Vrp1p ( vrp1Δ ) leads to a 3–4-fold delay in cytokinesis, wide bud necks, abnormal actomyosin rings, and aberrant septa even at 24°C. Like other mutations affecting the actomyosin ring, vrp1Δ is synthetic lethal with deletion of HOF1 (or CYK2 ), which encodes a protein related to mammalian proline serine threonine phosphatase-interacting protein and Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdc15p required for an actomyosin ring-independent pathway of cytokinesis in S. cerevisiae . At 37°C, vrp1Δ cells rapidly cease dividing and exhibit a novel terminal phenotype: a single large bud, two well-separated nuclei, and an interphase microtubule array. The arrested cells have a persistent ring containing both actin and myosin at the bud neck. Many also exhibit some polarisation of cortical actin patches to the bud neck. Vrp1p binds an SH3-domain-containing fragment of Hof1p in vitro . Vrp1p is required in vivo for Hof1p relocalisation to a single ring at the bud neck prior to cytokinesis at 37°C, but not at 24°C. Vrp1p thus acts in both actomyosin ring formation and function, as well as in Hof1p localisation during cytokinesis.     

Relationship between variations in pathogenicity and lag phase at 37°C of Listeria monocytogenes previously stored at 4°C

s. BUNCIC AND S.M. AVERY. 1996. Three haemolytic, pathogenic strains of Listeria monocytogenes (a reference strain, a food-derived strain and a human strain) were held at 4°C for 4 weeks in phosphate-buffered saline pH 5.5 or 7.0, with and without 0.2% potassium sorbate or 0.3% sodium acetate. The number of viable cells did not change significantly during this storage. Pathogenicity of non-growing L. monocytogenes cells for 14-d-old chick embryos was determined before and after storage. Storage at 4°C resulted in decreased pathogenicity, but effects were strain-, pH- and substrate-dependent. After 4 weeks storage at 4°C non-growing bacterial cells were transferred to Brain Heart Infusion broth and growth characteristics were determined during incubation at 37°C. Strains that showed decreased pathogenicity had significantly longer lag phases at 37°C than strains that maintained pathogenicity. It is concluded that decreased pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes stored without growth at 4°C for 4 weeks and subsequent long lag phase at 37°C are correlated.     

High temperature causes arrest of cell cycle in G2 phase in BmN cells derived from the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Abstract.  The influence of temperature on the insect cell line, BmN, derived from the silkworm, Bombyx mori is investigated. These cells proliferate at an accelerated pace as the temperature increases from 22 to 30 °C, but the growth rate slows at 34 °C, and proliferation stops at 38 °C. At high temperatures, abnormal cellular morphology is observed. Cells treated at 38 °C have cytoplasmic bilateral protrusions and they gradually aggregate and float in the medium. BmN cells without proliferation at 38 °C are viable but have reduced DNA synthesis. At high temperatures, the cell cycle of BmN cells halts at the G₂ phase. After heat treatment of the larvae, an accumulation of larval haemocytes with high DNA content is found, which suggests that the cell cycle arrest at G₂ also occurs in the silkworm at high temperatures.     

Effect of temperature on the growth of individual cucumber fruits

In order to study the effect of temperature on the growth of individual fruits in cucumber (cucumis sativus L. cv. Corona), fruits were grown at 17. 5. 20,25 and 30°C continuously or the fruit temperature was changed from 17. 5 to 27.5°C or vice versa. Fruit development appeared to be closely related to the temperature sum. When the growth of a fruit was not constrained by assimilate supply, a decrease in growing period with increasing temperature was more than compensated for by a strong increase in growth rate, resulting in an increase in final fruit weight. However, when the growth of a fruit was constrained by assimilate supply, the increase in growth rate with increasing temperature was small and did not compensate for the decrease in growing period, resulting in a decrease in final fruit weight. Determinations of cell number and size showed that the effect of temperature on fruit growth was due to effects on cell expansion rather than on cell division. When growth was not constrained by assimilate supply. However, when assimilate supply did constrain fruit growth the number of cells per fruit decreased with increasing temperature, while the effect on cell size was negligible. In all stages of fruit development, the growth rate of a cucumber fruit responded within one day to a change in temperature. It was not irreversibly impaired by a low temperature (17. 5°C) during the early development of a fruit. A high temperature treatment (27. 5°C), however, had a great effect on the growth rate of a fruit after the temperature treatment had terminated. At all stages of fruit development (even before anthesis) a period of four days at 27. 5°C resulted in a pronounced stimulation of the growth rate afterwards at 17. 5°C.     

Techniques for the optimum recovery of cold injured Campylobacter jejuni from milk or water

When broth was inoculated with cells of Campylobacter jejuni that had been injured by chilling there was a fall in the viable population of up to 90%. It was greater at 43° than 37°C and in the presence of certain antibiotics and in some cases resulted in a surviving population that was below the minimum inoculum for subsequent growth. A technique of pre-enrichment in non-selective culture broth at 37°C for 2 h before the addition of antibiotics and incubation at 43°C was found to significantly reduce the fall in numbers and to improve the detection of C. jejuni in samples of raw milk and water.     

Induction of apoptosis in HeLa cells by 3beta-hydroxy-12-oleanen-27-oic acid from the rhizomes of Astilbe chinensis

3beta-Hydroxy-12-oleanen-27-oic acid (ATA) was an antitumor active oleanane-type triterpenoid from the rhizomes of Astilbe chinensis. ATA was structurally very similar to oleanolic acid, with the only difference being interchange of the carboxyl and methyl group at the C-14 and C-17 positions. Oleanane-type triterpene with a carboxyl group at C-14 is present in a limited number of natural resources. ATA was found to exhibit more distinctive cytotoxicity toward human cervical squamous carcinoma HeLa cells than oleanolic acid, which suggested that the position of the carboxyl group significantly affects the cytotoxicity of oleanane-type pentacyclic triterpenes with a carboxyl group. The biological mechanism responsible for the cytotoxicity of ATA is not yet well understood. In this study, we investigated the induction of apoptosis in HeLa cells by ATA and the putative pathways of its actions. ATA induced a marked concentration- and time-dependent inhibition of HeLa cell proliferation, and reduced the protein content in HeLa cells. ATA-treated HeLa displayed typical morphological apoptotic characteristics and formation of DNA ladders in agarose gel electrophoresis. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the HeLa cell cycle was arrested in the G(0)/G(1) phase by ATA, and the apoptotic rate of HeLa cells treated with ATA 20 microg/mL for 48 h was 22.63 +/- 1.65%. Meanwhile, ATA increased the expression of Bax, decreased the expression of Bcl-2, and lowered the DeltaPsi(m). DEVD-CHO 2 microM could increase the viability of ATA-treated HeLa cells. These results indicate that ATA could significantly induce cell apoptosis through down-regulating Bcl-2 expression, up-regulating Bax expression, lowering DeltaPsi(m), and activating the caspase-3 pathway, and should be useful in the search for new potential anti-tumor agents and for developing semisynthetic oleanane-type triterpene derivatives with anti-tumor activity.     

Impacts of treatment parameters on the inactivation of Campylobacter jejuni by high pressure: a statistical study of main effects and interactions

Aim:  The influence of environmental (temperature and pH) and biological (strain) parameters on the inactivation of Campylobacter jejuni by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) was investigated.
Methods and Results:  Two clinical strains harvested in stationary phase were pressurized at 20°C and 37°C within a range of 50–400 MPa, in a phosphate (pH 7·0) or a citrate phosphate buffer (pH 5·6), for 10 min. Treatment efficiencies were determined by logarithmic comparisons of culturable cells on blood agar before and after treatment. Results were statistically compared using an anova of culturable cells after treatment to evaluate the effect of all factors. At least a 7-log reduction in cell numbers was observed for both strains. The pH and the strains had no effect on HHP treatment at 20°C while at 37°C, both pH and strain influenced significantly the HHP treatment on C. jejuni .
Conclusions:  The pressure efficacy on C. jejuni eradication was affected by both environmental and biological factors.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Depending on the treatment conditions, C. jejuni sensitivity to HHP can significantly vary. The determination of the inactivation treatment by HPP has to be normalized considering the interaction of environmental and biological factors.     

Regulation of primary spermatogonial proliferation in the frog (Rana esculenta): an experimental analysis

In order to study the regulation of primary spermatogonial (SPG) proliferation in the frog ( Rana esculenta ), mitotic and labelling indices of these cells were analysed, in vivo and in vitro , under different experimental conditions and periods of the year. Hypophysectomy, irrespective of the period of the year and independent of temperature, showed a remarkable negative influence on the mitotic or labelling index of the primary SPG. Replacement therapy with homologous pars distalis homogenate stimulated the proliferative activity, the stimulation being of significantly greater magnitude at 18°C than at 4°C. In parallel, mitotic index in vitro , in different periods of the year, after a 24-h incubation, was significantly higher at 20°C than at 8°C. At 2°C no 3H-thymidine labelling of the primary SPG was observed. Primary SPG labelling index in vitro increased with temperature, reaching the highest value at 15°C; it was, however, very low at 28°C. Under in vitro conditions FSH and LH stimulated primary SPG proliferation only when given together, but in vivo hypophysectomy stimulated SPG proliferation independently; GnRHa, thyroxine and prolactin were strongly stimulatory. The present in vitro data confirmed that testosterone acts synergistically with FSH-like substances to influence SPG proliferation. Unilateral castration rapidly increased the labelling index of the primary SPG in the remaining testis and this increased proliferative activity is assumed to be responsible for increased spermatogenetic activity and augmentation of testis mass later in time. It is suggested that temperature represents the constraint which controls the primary SPG responsiveness to hormonal factors.     

Pentobarbital anesthesia and the response of tumor and normal tissue in the C3Hf/sed mouse to radiation

Studies of the effect of pentobarbital anesthesia on the radiation response have been performed using early generation isotransplants of three spontaneous tumors of the C3H mouse: a mammary carcinoma (MCaIV), a fibrosarcoma (FSaII), and a squamous cell carcinoma (SCCVII). The enhancement ratio of pentobarbital [ER(PB)] for TCD50 as the end point was greater than or equal to 1 for all conditions tested. The ER(PB) for O2 3 ATA conditions and two equal doses was 1.46, 1.72, and 2.21 for MCaIV, FSaII, and SCCVII, respectively. The ER(PB) using MCaIV was the same for O2 and carbogen at 1 or 3 ATA. Also, tumor size of MCaIV did not significantly affect the ER(PB) for O2 3 ATA conditions. Further, with the two-dose protocol the anesthesia and the hyperbaric oxygen needed to be used at the second dose; condition at the first dose was not critical. For fractionated irradiation of MCaIV (10 and 15 equal doses) the ER(PB) was smaller than for two-dose treatment; also the effect was less for intratumor temperature of 35 degrees C than 26-27 degrees C. There was no effect of the anesthesia on the acute response of normal skin of the leg. Lung damage by hyperbaric oxygen was not an important factor in these results. Additionally, ERs were computed for O2 at 3 ATA. This ER(O2 3 ATA) was larger for anesthesized than conscious mice. The ER(O2 3 ATA) for MCaIV was high (greater than 1.5) even for radiation given in 10 or 15 equal doses.     

Progression throughout All Stages of Meiosis from the Early Prophase of Newt Primary Spermatocytes in vitro

Stages of prophase of living primary spermatocytes were determined by use of Rose culture chambers (1). Dissociated primary spermatocytes were cultured at low cell-density in a collagen matrix at 22°C or 27°C and the percentages of cells which had progressed from various stages in prophase through meiosis to various advanced stages were measured. In a standard medium (Leibovitz-15 + 10% fetal bovine serum), more than 70% of the primary spermatocytes at stages beyond the pachytene stage could advance to round spermatids with flagella within a few days at 22°C. The percentages of cells that progressed from stages before the late zygotene stage were less, but at least 13 % of leptotene cells reached metaphase I within a week at 22°C. The percentage of cells that progressed was slightly lower at 27°C than at 22°C: 6.3 and 4.3 days were required for progress from leptotene to metaphase I at 22°C and 27C, respectively. Fetal bovine serum was not indispensable for progression through meiosis. Moreover, 0.5–5.0 μg/ml ovine follicle stimulating hormone (NIAMDD-o-FSH-13), 0.01–1.0 μg/ml 5α-dihydrotestosterone and 1.0 μg/ml testosterone propionate had no significant effect in increasing the percentage of cell progression at 22°C.     

Induction of freezing tolerance in potato (Solanum commersonü) suspension cultured cells

The induction of freezing tolerance by abscisic acid (ABA) or cold treatment in suspension cultured cells of Solanum commersonii was studied. Both ABA (50–100 μ M ) at 23°C and low temperature (4°C) increased freezing tolerance in cultured Solanum commersonii cells from a LT₅₀ (freezing temperature at which 50% cells were killed) of —5°C (control) to —11.5°C in 2 days. Cold-induced freezing tolerance reached its maximum at 2 days and remained constant throughout the cold acclimation period of 11 days. The freezing tolerance induced by ABA, however, showed a rapid decline 2 to 5 days after initiation of ABA treatments. Addition of ABA (100 μ M ) to the culture medium at the inception of low temperature treatment did not enhance freezing tolerance of the cells beyond the level attainable by either treatment singly. Poly(A⁺)-RNA was isolated from the respective treatments, translated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate cell free system, and the translation products were resolved by two dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (ID-PAGE). Analysis of the in vitro translated products revealed changes in the abundance of approximately 26 products (encoding for polypeptides with M, of 14 to 69 kDa and pl of 4.90 to 6.60) in ABA-treated cells 12 h after treatment, and 20 (encoding for polypeptides with M_r of 12 to 69 kDa, with pl of 4.80 to 6.42) in cells exposed to 4°C for 12 h. There were only 5 novel translation products observed when the ABA-treated cells reached the highest level of freezing tolerance (2 days after the initiation of ABA treatment). Changes in translatable RNA populations during the induction of freezing tolerance in cells treated with either ABA or low temperature are discussed.     

Homeostatic regulation of acetazolamide-sensitive esterase activity in the bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, following acute cold shock

Acetazolamide-sensitive esterase activity was elevated in branchial homogenates of control juvenile bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus , acclimated at 20° C but decreased rapidly within 9 h following an acute hypothermal shock to 8° C. After 2 weeks at 8° C, shocked-fish enzyme activity was similar to control fish. At 20° C acclimation temperature, specific activity of bluegills was similar in swimbladder, liver, kidney, gill, spleen, and gonad homogenates and was significantly higher (α=0.05 level) in whole blood homogenates. The pH optima for enzymes extracted from fish acclimated at 20° and 8° C were 7.29 and 8.00, respectively. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) demonstrated two distinct forms of acetazolamide-sensitive esterase activity present in both 20° and 8° C acclimated fish. Specific activity for homogenates from both 20° and 8° C acclimated fish differed significantly when assayed at 20° C, suggesting both qualitative and quantitative changes in acetazolamide-sensitive esterase. It is postulated that relatively rapid alterations in esterase activity promote survival in bluegill following acute cold shock through the central role of enzymes in the regulation of plasma ion concentrations and acid/base equilibria.     

Nutrition-dependent modulations of protein synthesis in Candida albicans during germ-tube formation or maintenance of the yeast form in N-acetyl glucosamine media

Abstract Stationary phase, yeast-form cells of Candida albicans grown in glucose-yeast extract medium were shifted to N -acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and/or glucose medium, and the pattern of protein synthesized under conditions of a progressive decrease in the rate of total protein synthesis was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography.
Marked temporal modulations in the rate of synthesis of some cytoplasmic proteins were detected both in cells forming germ-tubes (at 37°C) and in yeast cells (at 28°C). The major modulated components showed molecular weights of 63, 53, 48 and 34 kDa. These products could not be qualified as heat-shock or heat-stroke proteins, because analogous modulations were observed on shifting cells from 28°C to 37°C or from 28°C to 28°C. However, no marked modulations in the synthesis of specific proteins were detected when amino acids were added to the medium fostering germ-tube formation under conditions of unimpaired overall rate of protein synthesis.
It is suggested that the modulations observed in cells incubated in GlcNAc-glucose medium could represent a response to a nutritional stress.     

Temperature experienced during vitellogenesis influences ovarian maturation and the timing of ovulation in common wolffish

Temperature treatment of common wolffish Anarhichas lupus during vitellogenesis affected the time of final maturation; ovulation in fish held at 8 and 12° C from mid-April to October was about four and five weeks delayed, compared with a 4° C group. Fish in the 8° C group had significantly larger eggs than those in the 4° C and the 12° C groups, and a significantly higher egg production than fish in the 12° C group. Temperature treatment did not affect either fertilization rate or relative fecundity, but absolute fecundity was significantly lower in the 12° C group than the other groups due to poor growth of the fish at high temperature. This did not affect the numbers of spawning individuals. There was a trend towards lower egg survival to the eyed stage in the 12° C group compared to the 4 and 8° C groups, although the effect was not statistically significant. The results indicate that both the timing of final maturation and investment in ovarian growth in common wolffish are affected by temperature experienced during vitellogenesis.