Meeting Abstract
The ability of animals to produce energy is determined largely by the function and structure of mitochondria. To meet the energetic demands of survival and reproduction, an organism must produce energy efficiently in the face of endogenous and environmental stressors. These stressors include exposure to reactive oxygen species that are produced both directly via oxidative phosphorylation and indirectly by environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation. Such stressors can have negative impacts on mitochondrial function, but they may also increase mitochondrial performance at low levels by acting as cellular signals. Moreover, previous work has shown that ultraviolet radiation not only has negative impacts on the longevity of aquatic organisms but also conveys beneficial reproductive performance early in life. Further work is needed to determine the beneficial and detrimental effects that environmental stressors impose on mitochondrial structure and, therefore, organism performance. This study aims to determine how ultraviolet irradiation affects mitochondrial behavior and morphology in myocytes of the copepod Tigriopus californicus, in addition to whole-organism respiratory function. Using transmission electron microscopy and corresponding respiration assays, we address the impact of both moderate- and high-dose ultraviolet-A/B irradiation on the proportion of inter-mitochondrial junctions and density of the inner mitochondrial membrane, as well as mitochondrial density and aspect ratio.
