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Uncovering the metabolic response of abalone (Haliotis midae) to environmental hypoxia through metabolomics

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Abstract

Introduction

Oxygen is essential for metabolic processes and in the absence thereof alternative metabolic pathways are required for energy production, as seen in marine invertebrates like abalone. Even though hypoxia has been responsible for significant losses to the aquaculture industry, the overall metabolic adaptations of abalone in response to environmental hypoxia are as yet, not fully elucidated.

Objective

To use a multiplatform metabolomics approach to characterize the metabolic changes associated with energy production in abalone (Haliotis midae) when exposed to environmental hypoxia.

Methods

Metabolomics analysis of abalone adductor and foot muscle, left and right gill, hemolymph, and epipodial tissue samples were conducted using a multiplatform approach, which included untargeted NMR spectroscopy, untargeted and targeted LC–MS spectrometry, and untargeted and semi-targeted GC-MS spectrometric analyses.

Results

Increased levels of anaerobic end-products specific to marine animals were found which include alanopine, strombine, tauropine and octopine. These were accompanied by elevated lactate, succinate and arginine, of which the latter is a product of phosphoarginine breakdown in abalone. Primarily amino acid metabolism was affected, with carbohydrate and lipid metabolism assisting with anaerobic energy production to a lesser extent. Different tissues showed varied metabolic responses to hypoxia, with the largest metabolic changes in the adductor muscle.

Conclusions

From this investigation, it becomes evident that abalone have well-developed (yet understudied) metabolic mechanisms for surviving hypoxic periods. Furthermore, metabolomics serves as a powerful tool for investigating the altered metabolic processes in abalone.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the North-West University and the Technology Innovation Agency of the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa for financial support. We also thank HIK Abalone Farm (Pty) Ltd, South Africa for supplying experimental animals and welcoming us to your farm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa

    Leonie Venter, Du Toit Loots, Lodewyk Japie Mienie, Peet J. Jansen van Rensburg, Shayne Mason & Jeremie Zander Lindeque

  2. School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa

    Andre Vosloo

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  1. Leonie Venter
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Correspondence to Jeremie Zander Lindeque.

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All of the research pertaining to the perturbations and abalone collection was done in accordance with institutional guidelines of the relevant institutional committees and granted Aquaculture Research Permit.

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Venter, L., Loots, D.T., Mienie, L.J. et al. Uncovering the metabolic response of abalone (Haliotis midae) to environmental hypoxia through metabolomics. Metabolomics 14, 49 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-018-1346-8

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