Participants
Guido di Prisco & Ennio Cocca
Institute of Protein Biochemistry (IBP), National Research Council (CNR)
Via Marconi 12, I-80125 Naples, Italy
www.ibp.cnr.it
Tel +39 081 7257 242; +39 081 7257 230
Fax +39 081 593 6689
g.diprisco@ibp.cnr.it
e.cocca@ibp.cnr.it
We have been involved in Antarctic research for many years. We investigate molecular cold adaptation of the oxygen-transport hemoprotein (hemoglobin) in fish. The main areas are:
- structure and function of major and minor Hbs (in particular, amino acid sequence, oxygen binding and thermodynamics of this process)
- organisation and expression of globin genes in red-blooded fish
- study of mutations leading to abrogation of expression of Hb in white-blooded Channichthyidae
- molecular phylogeny of cold-adapted and non-cold-adapted Notothenioidei, based on evolution of Hb primary structure
- recent extension of these studies to Arctic fish
- isolation, cloning and characterisation of lipolytic enzymes from psychrophilic bacteria.
Aims of our participation to ICEFISH
Investigations in the sub-Antarctic and peri-Antarctic regions are essential to reach a global understanding of the molecular bases of cold adaptation of the Hb system in fish; indeed, the marine habitats are intermediate between polar and temperate environments. There is very little (if any) knowledge of the structural and functional features of Hbs and of the globin genes. In order to fill this gap, we intend to collect tissues (blood, spleen, testes, head kidney, etc) from as many sub-Antarctic fish species as possible. When feasible, processing and preliminary experiments will be performed in the ship laboratories during the ICEFISH cruise.
In the framework of the Italian Antarctic Programme, we are also planning to extend the ICEFISH initiative in a few years, by means of a second leg aimed at covering another section of the sub-Antarctic portion of the Southern Ocean.