Activities of cytochrome c oxidase and mitochondrial lactate dehydrogenase isozymes and Cox1, Cox2, Cox4, and Cox6 gene subunit expression in cold adaptation of Salmo trutta L.

Characteristic changes in some parameters of white muscle mitochondria (mitochondrial volume, activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX, EC 1.9.3.1) and the level of Cox1, Cox2, Cox4, and Cox6 subunit gene expression and activity and kinetic characteristics of mitochondrial lactate dehydrogenase isozymes (mtLDH, EC 1.1.1.27)) in adaptation to seasonal decrease in temperature from 16 to 6°C of one-year juvenile brown trout Salmo trutta L. from rivers of Lake Onega basin were investigated. A 1.5-fold increase in the activity of COX, and the increase in the levels of gene expression of both Cox4 and Cox6 nuclear subunits and increased activity of mitochondrial LDH isozymes, which have a low affinity towards lactate, has been shown. The possible role of nuclear and mitochondrial subunits of cytochrome c oxidase in improving the efficiency of the enzyme in molecule biogenesis and further modulation of its activity, as well as regulation of pyruvate formation to maintain the required rate of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria under low temperature were discussed.