Effects of open- and closed-system temperature changes on blood O2-binding characteristics of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

We investigated the effects of open- and closed-system temperature changes on the O₂ affinity of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) blood using in vitro methods essentially identical to those previously employed on tropical tuna species. Bluefin tuna blood has a general O₂ affinity (P ₅₀ = 2.6–3.1 kPa or 19–23 mm Hg at 0.5% CO₂) similar to that of skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, and kawakawa blood (P ₅₀ = 2.8–3.1 kPa at 0.5% CO₂) but significantly above that of bigeye tuna blood (P ₅₀ = 1.6–2.0 kPa at 0.5% CO₂). We therefore hypothesize that bluefin tuna are less tolerant of hypoxia than bigeye tuna. Further, we found the P ₅₀ of bluefin tuna blood to be slightly reduced by a 10°C open-system temperature increase (e.g., from 4.83 kPa at 15°C to 3.95 kPa at 25°C) and to be completely unaffected by a 10°C closed-system temperature change. Bluefin tuna blood, therefore, had a significantly reduced Bohr effect when subjected to the inevitable changes in P CO ₂ and plasma pH that accompany closed-system temperature shifts (0.04–0.09 Δlog P₅₀ΔpH⁻¹) compared with the effects of changes in plasma pH accomplished by changing P CO ₂ alone (0.81–0.94 Δlog P₅₀ Δ pH⁻¹). This response is similar to that of skipjack tuna blood, but different from yellowfin or bigeye tuna blood. During closed-system temperature changes at oxygen levels above P ₅₀, however, bluefin tuna blood showed a reversed temperature effect (i.e., P O ₂ decreased in response to an increase in temperature). Unlike in other tuna species, temperature effects on O₂ affinity of bluefin tuna whole blood were similar to those previously reported for hemoglobin solutions, suggesting that red cell-mediated ligand changes are not involved.