title: Laboratory studies on the thermal tolerance and response of enzymes of intermediate metabolism in different land snail species.
abstract: Land snails species occur in a range of habitats from humid to semi-arid and arid ones and seasonal variations in their physiology and biochemical composition have been linked to annual cycles of photoperiod, temperature, humidity and water availability. In an effort to understand the thermal tolerance and the impact of temperature elevation on tissue metabolism of land snails we determined the mortality, heamolymph PO2and the activities of enzymes of intermediary metabolism in three land snail species (Helix lucorum, Helix pomatia and Cornu aspersum) differing in their geographical distribution and inhabiting areas with different climatic characteristics. No mortality was observed in both population of Cornu aspersum, while Helix pomatia exhibited higher mortality than Helix lucorum. PO2dropped within the first 10days of exposure to elevated temperature in all species, although in Cornu aspersum this decrease was significantly lower. No significant reduction in the enzymatic activities of all glycolytic enzymes studied, as well as of citrate synthase (CS) and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HOAD) was observed in the more thermal tolerant species C. aspersum from both populations studied. Significant reductions of enzymatic activity of the glycolytic enzymes phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK) and d-Lactate dehydrogenase (d-LDH) was observed in Helix lucorum and Helix pomatia. The observed inter-specific differences seem to be in accordance with the life cycle characteristics of each species and may be attributed to climatic differences among habitats within their distribution range.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, School of Biology, University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Staikou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, School of Biology, University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Evagelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kesidou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, School of Biology, University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Marina-Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Garefalaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, School of Biology, University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006 Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: michaeli@bio.auth.gr.
authors.forename: Basile
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Michaelidis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D003535:Cyprus; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D057232:Global Warming; D006019:Glycolysis; D006115:Greece; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D043143:Hepatopancreas / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008136:Longevity; D024510:Muscle Development; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013045:Species Specificity; D000071436:Thermotolerance; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins
keywords: Global warming; Land snails; Metabolism; Mortality; Temperature