Meeting Abstract

P2.190  Monday, Jan. 5  Changes in solute composition in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) gill extracts after exposure to high temperature BURMESTER, E.M.**; FIELDS, P.A.; Franklin and Marshall College; Franklin and Marshall College peter.fields@fandm.edu

Although low-molecular-mass solutes have the potential to affect the function and stability of macromolecules in the cell, little work has been done to describe how relative concentrations of these solutes may change acutely in response to environmental stress. Using the blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis acclimated to 13C, we examined how elevated temperature, and duration of exposure to elevated temperature, altered the relative concentrations of low-molecular-mass compounds in gill tissue. We used high pressure liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (MS) to measure relative changes in low-molecular-mass compounds present in gill extracts at intensities above an arbitrary cut-off. We found that two compounds increased significantly and six decreased significantly in concentration after exposure to high temperatures (26C, 29C, 32C or 35C for one hour, with one hour of recovery at 13C). In our time course experiment, (32C exposure for varying times, 13C recovery for one hour), changes in concentration occurred rapidly (within 15 min), but longer exposures (up to four hours) reduced the magnitude of change. Concentrations of these compounds changed dramatically (up to 2X increase and 5X decrease) compared to control. We are currently using high-resolution MS and MS/MS to identify the compounds that change in concentration most significantly.