Cold tolerance and freeze-induced glucose accumulation in three terrestrial slugs

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cold tolerance and freeze-induced glucose accumulation in three terrestrial slugs

AU - Slotsbo, Stine

AU - Hansen, Lars Monrad

AU - Jordaens, Kurt

AU - Backeljau, Thierry

AU - Malmendal, Anders

AU - Nielsen, Niels Chr

AU - Holmstrup, Martin

N1 - Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2012/4

Y1 - 2012/4

N2 - Cold tolerance and metabolic responses to freezing of three slug species common in Scandinavia (Arion ater, Arion rufus and Arion lusitanicus) are reported. Autumn collected slugs were cold acclimated in the laboratory and subjected to freezing conditions simulating likely winter temperatures in their habitat. Slugs spontaneously froze at about -4 °C when cooled under dry conditions, but freezing of body fluids was readily induced at -1 °C when in contact with external ice crystals. All three species survived freezing for 2 days at -1 °C, and some A. rufus and A. lusitanicus also survived freezing at -2 °C. (1)H NMR spectroscopy revealed that freezing of body fluids resulted in accumulation of lactate, succinate and glucose. Accumulation of lactate and succinate indicates that ATP production occurred via fermentative pathways, which is likely a result of oxygen depletion in frozen tissues. Glucose increased from about 6 to 22 µg/mg dry tissue upon freezing in A. rufus, but less so in A. ater and A. lusitanicus. Glucose may thus act as a cryoprotectant in these slugs, although the concentrations are not as high as reported for other freeze tolerant invertebrates.

AB - Cold tolerance and metabolic responses to freezing of three slug species common in Scandinavia (Arion ater, Arion rufus and Arion lusitanicus) are reported. Autumn collected slugs were cold acclimated in the laboratory and subjected to freezing conditions simulating likely winter temperatures in their habitat. Slugs spontaneously froze at about -4 °C when cooled under dry conditions, but freezing of body fluids was readily induced at -1 °C when in contact with external ice crystals. All three species survived freezing for 2 days at -1 °C, and some A. rufus and A. lusitanicus also survived freezing at -2 °C. (1)H NMR spectroscopy revealed that freezing of body fluids resulted in accumulation of lactate, succinate and glucose. Accumulation of lactate and succinate indicates that ATP production occurred via fermentative pathways, which is likely a result of oxygen depletion in frozen tissues. Glucose increased from about 6 to 22 µg/mg dry tissue upon freezing in A. rufus, but less so in A. ater and A. lusitanicus. Glucose may thus act as a cryoprotectant in these slugs, although the concentrations are not as high as reported for other freeze tolerant invertebrates.

U2 - 10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.01.002

DO - 10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.01.002

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22248916

SN - 1095-6433

VL - 161

SP - 443

EP - 449

JO - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology -Part A : Molecular and Integrative Physiology

JF - Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology -Part A : Molecular and Integrative Physiology

IS - 4

ER -