A comparative study of tissue protein synthesis rates in an Antarctic, Harpagifer antarcticus and a temperate, Lipophrys pholis teleost

The affect of temperature on tissue protein synthesis rates has been reported in temperate and tropical, but not Antarctic fishes. Previous studies have generally demonstrated low growth rates in Antarctic fish species in comparison to temperate relatives and elevated levels of protein turnover. This study investigates how low temperatures effect tissue protein synthesis and hence tissue growth in a polar fish species. Groups of Antarctic, Harpagifer antarcticus and temperate, Lipophrys pholis, were acclimated to a range of overlapping water temperatures and protein synthesis was measure in white muscle (WM), liver and gastrointestinal tract (GIT). WM protein synthesis rates increased linearly with temperature in both species (H. antarcticus 0.16–0.23%.d−1, L. pholis, 0.31–0.76%.d−1), while liver (H. antarcticus 0.24–0.27%.d−1, L. pholis, 0.44–1.03%.d−1) and GIT were unaffected by temperature in H. antarcticus but increased non-linearly in L. pholis (H. antarcticus 0.22–0.26%.d−1, L. pholis, 0.40–0.86%.d−1). RNA to protein ratios were unaffected by temperature in H. antarcticus but increased weakly, in L. pholis WM and liver. In L. pholis, RNA translational efficiency increased significantly with temperature in all tissues, but only in liver in H. antarcticus. At the overlapping temperature of 3 °C, protein synthesis (WM 26%, Liver, 39%, GIT, 35%) and RNA translational efficiency (WM 273%, Liver, 271%, GIT, 300%) were significantly lower in H. antarcticus than L. pholis, while RNA to protein ratios were significantly higher (WM 270%, Liver 170%, GIT 186%). Tissue specific effects of temperature are detectable in both species. This study provides the first evidence, that tissue protein synthesis rates are constrained in Antarctic fishes.