Acclimation to warm temperatures has important implications for mitochondrial function in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

In fishes, the capacity of thermal acclimation to preserve cardiac mitochondrial function under future warming scenarios is important to understand given the central role that cardiac energy metabolism and performance play in this taxa's thermal tolerance. We acclimated Atlantic salmon to 12 and 20°C (for>2 months), and investigated the effects of acute and chronic warming on cardiac mitochondrial respiration and ROS production (release rate) using high-resolution fluorespirometry. Further, we compared the sensitivity of mitochondrial respiration to nitric oxide (i.e., the NO IC50), and assessed the mitochondrial response to anoxia-reoxygenation (AR). Acute exposure to 20°C increased maximal mitochondrial respiration by ∼55%, however, the mitochondria's complex I-respiratory control ratio was 17% lower and ROS production was increased by≥60%. Acclimation to 20°C: i) preserved mitochondrial coupling and aerobic capacity; ii) decreased the mitochondria's ROS production by ∼30%; iii) increased the mitochondria's NO IC50 by ∼23%; iv) and improved mitochondrial membrane integrity at 20°C. AR did not affect mitochondrial function at 12°C, but acute exposure to 20°C and AR depressed maximal mitochondrial respiration (by ∼9%) and coupling (by ∼16%) without impacting ROS production. Finally, warm acclimation did not improve the capacity of mitochondria to recover from AR, indicating that there was no ‘cross tolerance’ between these challenges. Our findings provide compelling evidence that thermal plasticity of cardiac mitochondrial function contributes to the Atlantic salmon's capability to survive at≥20°C for prolonged periods, but question whether this plasticity may allow them to withstand high temperatures when combined with other stressors.