Mechanisms and costs of mitochondrial thermal acclimation in a eurythermal killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Processes acting at the level of the mitochondria have been suggested to affect the thermal limits of organisms. To determine whether changes in mitochondrial properties could underlie shifts in thermal limits, we have examined how mitochondrial properties are affected by thermal acclimation in the eurythermal killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus—a species with substantial plasticity in whole-organism thermal limits. We hypothesized that thermal acclimation would result in functional changes in the mitochondria that could result in trade-offs in function during acute thermal shifts. We measured mitochondrial respiration rates through multiple complexes of the ETS following thermal acclimation (5, 15, 33°C), and assessed maintenance of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δp), and rates of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as an estimate of costs. Acclimation to 5°C resulted in a modest compensation of mitochondrial respiration at low temperatures, but these mitochondria were able to maintain Δp with acute exposure to high temperatures, and ROS production did not differ between acclimation groups, suggesting that these increases in mitochondrial capacity do not alter mitochondrial thermal sensitivity. Acclimation to 33°C caused suppression of mitochondrial respiration due to effects on NADH-dehydrogenase (complex I). These high-temperature acclimated fish nonetheless maintained Δp and ROS production similar to that of the other acclimation groups. This work demonstrates that killifish mitochondria can successfully acclimate to a wide range of temperatures without incurring major functional trade-offs during acute thermal shifts, and that high temperature acclimation results in a suppression of metabolism, consistent with patterns observed at the organismal level.