Baseline defense system of commercial king crabs Lithodes santolla from the Beagle Channel

Abstract

Environmental and physiological variations influence the steady-state concentration of free oxygen radicals in cells. Because of the seasonal life cycle of Lithodes santolla in the Beagle Channel, a baseline study of the antioxi- dant physiological variations along the seasons is necessary for a better understanding of its ecophysiology. The aimof this study was to evaluate the seasonal variations in gills, hemolymph,muscle and hepatopancreas of the: i) enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione transferase; ii) ascorbic acid and total glutathione; iii) lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation; iv) glucose, proteins and pH. Seasonality found in the antioxidant defense system of L. santolla from the Beagle Channel acts in a collabo- rativeway during themost relevant life cycle phases (reproduction andmolting), avoiding a long termoxidative stress. The antioxidant systemalso shows changes in the enzymatic activities likely caused by the environmental factors, such as low temperatures during winter and spring seasons