Environmental temperature and metabolism of the molecular species of phosphatidylcholine in the tissues of the rainbow trout

The phospholipid composition and the fatty acid pattern of phosphatidylcholine from major tissues of the rainbow trout acclimated to 11° and 21°C were analyzed. A significant difference in the level of 20∶5ω3 fatty acid between gill, kidney, intestine and liver phosphatidylcholine is observed in both groups of animals. These differences correlate with a modification of the molecular species distribution in the phosphatidylcholine in these organs. In vivo incorporation of32P into phospholipids of gills, kidney, intestine, liver and muscle was determined in trout acclimated to 11° and 21°C. Temperature acclimation specifically modify the relative specific radioactivity of the monoene and hexaene molecular species of phosphatidylcholine in gills, intestine, kidney and liver. It can be concluded from these results, that the metabolism of the diacylglycerol moiety and the coupled fatty acids of phosphatidylcholine differs with the tissue and the temperature. It is suggested that different associated mechanisms specific for each organ determine the fatty acid composition of phophatidylcholine required for its physiological functions at each temperature.