Cellular and mitochondrial respiration system

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Cellular energetics is central to any biological function. Direct measurements of oxygen consumption rate of cells or mitochondria, the sub-compartment actually using oxygen to produce energy, is essential in studies investigating environmental effects and evolutionary adjustments of animal energetics. This proposal requests funds to acquire a cellular and mitochondrial respirometry system that will enable the applicants' research groups to investigate various aspects of cellular energetics. Alteration in cellular energetics can be immediate when exposed to environmental stressors, short-term and reversible when able to compensate and acclimatize to environmental conditions and permanent when evolution acts on physiological characters that modify energetics. The applicants' research programs investigate adjustments in energetics at these diverse time-scales in various organisms. Using fish species, the impact of toxicants present in the environment on cellular energetics will be investigated. The proposed respirometry system will allow for study of liver cell response to pollutants by monitoring oxygen consumption, but will also allow for investigation of more specific mechanisms by using additional probes. Also using fish, the temporary adjustment to various environmental challenges (temperature and low oxygen) will be studied as in such situations cells can remodel their metabolism (change gene expression) to sustain these conditions. Using bees and wasps, the evolutionary adjustments in cell energetics will be studied. To accomplish flight these insects evolved muscle cells with the highest energy production rate found in animals. Using the proposed respirometry equipment, it will be possible to study the oxygen consumption patterns in flight muscle cells of multiple species with varying energy requirements for flight. Specific mechanisms such as the fuels used by the mitochondria of these species will also be studied to gain insights into how cell energetics can be adjusted at the evolutionary time-scale.