Brain microsome
phospholipids and their acyl groups, from temperature and
oxygen acclimated goldfish, were investigated. At the lower acclimation temperature (5C) the proportion of
ethanolamine- to
choline-glycerophosphatides (GPE/GPC) was increased, and the proportion of
phosphatidal ethanolamine value decreased. A rise in the n-6/n-3 fatty acyl group also occurred in cold acclimation. Irrespective of acclimation temperature, 25 degrees C or 5 degrees C, a partial replacement of GPC by GPE occurred when the concentration of
oxygen was increased; conversely the GPE/GPC ratio decreased at the hypoxic level. The
plasmalogen GPE content increased as the
oxygen concentration was raised. A rise in the n-6/n-3 ratio, for
ethanolamine glycerophosphatides and
phosphatidyl choline, occurred when the
oxygen concentration was increased (
hypoxia to
hyperoxia). It is concluded that the
lipid alterations associated with thermal acclimation are, in part, attributable to the concomitant change in
oxygen concentration.