Natures wonders: salmon exercise enzyme (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, June 04, 2019, 20:49 (1997 days ago) @ David Turell

When hey have to migrate upstream to reproduce, this enzyme helps the circulatory system:

https://phys.org/news/2019-06-salmon-major-athletic-boost-enzyme.html

"Salmon species, known for undertaking arduous upstream migrations, appear to owe a good deal of their athletic ability to the presence of a single enzyme.

"New research indicates that plasma-accessible carbonic anhydrase (paCA)—an enzyme anchored to the walls of salmons' blood vessels—helps reduce how hard their hearts have to work during exercise by up to 27 percent.

"'Salmon species get one shot at reproduction, and we know cardiovascular performance can be a limiting factor during migration," says zoologist Till Harter, who led the study while a researcher at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

"'It appears paCA plays a key role in enhancing the animal's ability to extract oxygen from their blood, making salmon great aerobic athletes and giving them a much-needed edge during migration."

"The researchers also found the paCA enzyme kicked in when the fish were exposed to low water oxygen levels—hypoxia—and helped the salmon recover faster from exercise.

"'Like hypoxia, increases in water temperature are also thought to limit aerobic performance," says UBC researcher Colin Brauner, senior author on the paper.

"'If elevated temperature recruits paCA like hypoxia does, there may be levels at which fish can acclimate and be better prepared to deal with elevated temperatures associated with climate change."

"'Like hypoxia, increases in water temperature are also thought to limit aerobic performance," says UBC researcher Colin Brauner, senior author on the paper.

"'If elevated temperature recruits paCA like hypoxia does, there may be levels at which fish can acclimate and be better prepared to deal with elevated temperatures associated with climate change.'"

Comment: A reminder. Enzymes are giant complex molecules which facilitate speed in protein reactions. How did chance evolution find this specific molecule? Since salmon have such a complex migratory reproduction system, this system and enzyme must have been designed.