The effects of hypoxia and temperature on metabolic aspects of embryonic development in the annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus.

ABSTRACT: Embryos of Austrofundulus limnaeus are exceptional in their ability to tolerate prolonged bouts of complete anoxia. Hypoxia and anoxia are a normal part of their developmental environment. Here, we exposed embryos to a range of PO2 levels at two different temperatures (25 and 30 °C) to study the combined effects of reduced oxygen and increased temperature on developmental rate, heart rate, and metabolic enzyme capacity. Hypoxia decreased overall developmental rate and caused a stage-specific decline in heart rate. However, the rate of early development prior to the onset of organogenesis is insensitive to PO2. Increased incubation temperature caused an increase in the developmental rate at high PO2s, but hindered developmental progression under severe hypoxia. Embryonic DNA content in pre-

SUBMITTER: Anderson SN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6871518 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature