MAY93 Palmer SITREP - J.Mahoney SEND PLM242.JUN MSG%"PALMER_SCIENCE",ASAHQ PSDN-1272 SCIENCE SITREP R 100112Z JUN 93 FROM: Jacqueline Mahoney P A L M E R S T A T I O N A N T A R C T I C A TELEMAIL::PALMER.STA PHONE/FAX: 011-874-150-3157 SPAN::PALMER@ATSVAX.SPAN TELEX: 5841503157 PNHG INTERNET::PALMER@ATSVAX.RSMAS.MIAMI.EDU !TO ASA SHEPHERD !TO SPOLE NSFREP CC E-MAIL::ANTARCTIC.OPS, NSF.DPP.OCEANOPS, P.PENHALE, T.DELACA, R.HANSON, E.HOFMANN, R.BOOTH, O.HOLM.HANSEN, G.MITCHELL, M.VERNET, M.HUNTLEY, R.WHRITNER, D.KARL, W.FRASER, B.SIDELL, W.DETRICH, M.KENNICUTT, K.DUNTON, W.STOCKTON, L.QUETIN, R.ROSS, Sea.Space, W.TRIVELPIECE, R.SMITH.UCSB, GMCC.BOULDER(pass to B.Mendonca), F.AZAM, R.RADTKE, S.WEILER, SPOLE, DUKE, NATPALMER, ASAHQ, VLF@STAR.STANFORD.EDU, NSFMCM (includes all McMurdo addresses) KARENTZD@ALM.ADMIN.USFCA.EDU, CHAPPELL@UCRACC.SPAN, J.PROSPERO, TFOSTER@UCSCC.UCSC.EDU, DALLUGE@ATMOS.OGI.EDU, N.SWANBERG, R.BIDIGARE, NSFCHCH@IAC.ORG.NZ, ASACHCH@IAC.ORG.NZ Responding: Please insert in message, all CAPS, with the ! in column 1: !TO PAL SCIENCE, LABMANAGER, ADMIN,MANAGER S-014 Energetics of the Adults and Larvae of the Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba. Principal Investigators: L.B. Quetin and R.M. Ross, University of California at Santa Barbara. Field Team: Jacqueline Mahoney (field team leader) J. Mahoney arrived on May 8 aboard the R/V POLAR DUKE. The tasks performed for this month were as follows: 1. Renewal and maintenence of phytoplankton cultures. This includes the growth of bulk cultures of Phaeocystis pouchetti and Thalassiosira sp. to be used in experiments during the winter season. 2. In preparation for WinCruise V (PD93-5), we unpacked and assembled supplies as well as assembling equipment. In anticipation of experiments during WinCruise V (PD93-5), we prepared filters to be used in Carbon:Hydrogen:Nitrogen (CHN) analysis. 3. We assembled equipment, including the roller stirrers, and gathered equipment, such as the Starvation Tolerance Tanks, to be used in experiments during July and August. 4. We prepared for chemical composition assays to be done during June by assembling equipment and preparing solutions. We are grateful to the personnel of Antarctic Support Associates for their abundant assistance during the month of May. S-028 Long Term Ecological Research on the Antarctic Marine Ecosystem, an Ice-Dominated Environment: LTER, Principal Investigtors: R.M. Ross and L.B. Quetin, University of California at Santa Barbara. Field Team: Treva Coe, Laura Serold. T. Coe and L. Serold arrived on station on May 9 aboard the R/V NATHANIEL B. PALMER. The tasks completed this month were: 1. We performed a fluorometric analysis of Adult Whole Body Clearance (AWBC) and Adult Whole Body Pigment (AWBF) samples of Euphausia superba. These samples were collected aboard the R/V NATHANIEL B. PALMER during the March/May cruise (NBP93-2). The timing on this analysis was critical and had to be accomplished within three weeks of the experiment as the plant pigments and their degradation products begin to disappear quickly. The AWBF experiments are used to determine the concentration of food in the krill and the AWBC are used to find the time that it takes the krill to obtain their food. Together, these experiments are used to determine the hourly rate of ingestion of phytoplankton for the krill. This is the first time that these experiments have been conducted to ascertain ingestion rates of phytoplankton by Antarctic krill during the late austral fall. We would like to thank the personnel of Antarctic Support Associates for their abundant assistance this month. S-036 ADAPTATIONS TO COUNTER DIFFUSIONAL CONSTRAINTS IN MUSCLES OF CHANNICHTHYID ICEFISHES. Bruce D. Sidell, University of Maine, Orono, Maine Field Team: Michael Vayda, Deena Barry, Stephen F. Norton Field Sampling Sampling/Collecting Trip 1. (cruise 93-4) During the deployment of Vayda and Barry from Punta Arenas to Palmer Sta., the Polar Duke was scheduled to fish by otter trawl at several sites along the Antarctic Peninsula to provide materials for S-036 and S-037. Due to heavy seas and high winds, fishing at Livingston and Low Islands was cancelled. Subsequent fishing at the protected fishing areas in Dallmann Bay off the southwest corner of Brabante Island was adequate although the number of individuals caught was far less than anticipated. Species on interest caught and retained included 3 species of icefish (Chaenichthys aceratus, Chionodraco rastrospinosus, and Champsocephalus gunnarii), two Nototheniids (Notothenia coriiceps, and Notothenia (Gobionotethon) gibberifrons) and one Bathydraconid (Parachaenichthys charcoti). Several skates (Bathyraja sp. 2) were also caught. Sampling/Collecting Trip 2. (9 May - 12 May) Because of the low numbers of individuals of key species and loss of the N. gibberifrons during off-loading, a second trip to Dallmann bay was made 30 hrs after docking at Palmer. The catch was much more typical of trawls in previous years. The same 6 species were retained. During a period of inclement weather searches for new fishing grounds in sheltered areas were attempted, including Lapeyere Bay on the northeast corner of Anvers Island, and the waters around Gand Island. However, no suitable bottoms were found. Sampling/Collecting Trip 3. (13 May to 17 May) An exploratory fishing excursion was made from May 13 to May 17 as far south as the Matha Strait north of Adelaide Is. The primary goal on this trip for S-036 was to find species of icefishes that had not been previously encountered and sampled for our project. Using information provided by Robin Ross during their last LTER cruise on the Nathaniel B. Palmer, we concentrated our search in Crystal Sound between the east side of Levoisier Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. Only one suitable fishing site was found at 66 deg 15.092 min S; 66 deg 33.911 min W. This is a deep slightly curved trench with smooth bottom at 900 m that we named "the Banana Basin". Four bottom trawls were attempted; the first two successfully fished along the bottom, but during the last two trawls the doors of the otter trawl appeared to have flipped during deployment, inhibiting proper function of the net. The first two trawls did provide a very different fish and invertebrate community from our previous fishing efforts. We caught one species of Artediodraconid (tentatively identified as Dolliodraco longedorsalis), two Bathydraconids (tentatively identified as Akarotaxis nudiceps and Vomeridens infuscipinnis), 4 species of Nototheniids (Tremetomus newnesi and 3 unidentified species). We also collected 4 species from the non-Notothenioid family Zoarcidae. Tissues (ventricle, white axial muscle, gonad, liver, and kidney) were removed and frozen in liquid nitrogen from the Artediodraconids, Bathydraconids, and Zoarcids and the carcasses were preserved in formalin for precise identification at UMaine. We also attempted to sample larval fishes with 4 midwater tows, but caught only krill (Euphausia sp.). Thus, while we did not achieve our primary goal of collecting additional icefish species, we have been able to expand our comparative base to a new family of Notothenioids (the Artediodraconids), to strengthen our sampling of the Bathydraconids and to acquire tissues from a non-Notothenioid family. Research Activities at Palmer Station: Our primary efforts on Station were twofold: 1) to isolate nuclei from heart ventricles of icefish for subsequent run-on transcription and nuclease sensitivity assays for myoglobin expression to be performed at our home laboratories and 2) to continue to collect data on oxygen flux in the pectoral adductor musculature of Antarctic fishes. Both have been very successful. Nuclei were extracted from C. aceratus, C. gunnari, and C. rastrospinosus; these will be further screened at our CONUS laboratory. Our one greatest disappointment has been that we have failed to encounter more P. georgianus or other "rarer" icefish species which we had hoped to include in our analyses. As positive controls in our assays, nuclei were also prepared from the N. coriiceps, N. gibberifrons, and P. charcoti: these samples from red blooded fish will serve a positive controls in our assay. Unfortunately, due to the very short time period we were unable to isolate genomic DNA and tissue-specific RNA from fresh samples. However, multiple samples of heart, pectoral muscle, testes and spleen were taken from all species and these extractions will be completed in our CONUS laboratory. Another of the major research activities of S-036 during May was to continue to collect data on the role of intracellular lipid stores in enhancing the flux of oxygen through the aerobic sections of the pectoral adductor profundus muscle which is responsible for slow, steady swimming. Our prediction has been that species with intracellular lipid would demonstrate higher O2 transport. Our work has focussed on representatives from three families of the Notothenioid fishes: Chaenichthys aceratus (Chaenichthyidae), Notothenia gibberifrons (Notothenidae), and Parachaenichthys charcoti (Bathydraconidae). Work conducted in previous seasons had demonstrated that the pectoral adductor profundus muscle of N. gibberifrons contains less intracellular lipid than found in C. aceratus. P. charcoti was included because the Bathydraconids are the sister family to the Chaenichthyids and may share many of the same features. Dissection of the pectoral adductor profundus muscles of these 3 species revealed strong interspecific differences. This muscle in N. gibberifrons is fairly homogeneous in color (a tan/red) indicating the presence of myoglobin and apparently little regional differentiation of fiber types. In contrast, this muscle in C. aceratus is complex; the outer and lateral muscle fibers are clear, indicative of a primarily anaerobic function. The core fibers are burnt orange, reflecting the lack of myoglobin and the presence of high titers of cytochromes in the abundant mitochondria. The pectoral adductor profundus of P. charcoti is more similar to C. aceratus than to N. gibberifrons; there is an outside and lateral layer of clear anaerobic fibers and a central pigmented group of fibers. Based on a visual comparison, there appears to be a lower titer of myoglobin in P. charcoti than is found in N. gibberifrons. We anticipate being able to quantify at our Conus facility the amount of myoglobin in this section of muscle using specific antibodies to myoglobin. Using a new technique described in the last SitRep, we sampled O2 flux for 1 C. aceratus, 7 N. gibberifrons, 8 P. charcoti, and two controls which consisted of glass-fiber filters during the time period of this SitRep. For this field season we have data for a total of 14 C. aceratus, 13 N. gibberifrons, 9 P. charcoti, and 3 controls. In addition to the O2 kinematic plots, tissues from the aerobic section of the pectoral adductor profundus were frozen for lipid and myoglobin analysis at our Conus laboratory. Due to time constraints and limitations in the computing power available on station, final analysis of the O2 flux experiments will be done using the facilities of our Conus laboratory. On 22 May Deena Barry, Mike Vayda, and Steve Norton boarded the RV Polar Duke for return to Punta Arenas and the U.S. All in all we had a very productive deployment. The ASA staff at Palmer Station and the captains, crews and ASA support personnel on the Polar Duke provided their usual extremely competent and friendly support to our field and laboratory activities. We would like to thank them sincerely for all their help. S-037 ASSEMBLY AND STABILITY OF MICROTUBULES FROM ANTARCTIC FISH AT LOW TEMPERATURES. H. William Detrich, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts. FIELD TEAM: William Detrich, Laura Camardella, Anthony Frankfurter, Stephen King, and Sandra Parker. During May we continued our studies of the microtubule proteins [tubulins and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs)] of Antarctic fishes. To support this work, Antarctic fishes were collected during two fishing trips (trip 1 = 1700 09 May - 0900 12 May, trip 2 = 0900 13 May - 0900 17 May), which were performed in conjunction with S-036. Additional fish specimens were collected on 7 May by S-036 and the crew of R/V Polar Duke while in transit from Punta Arenas (cruise 93-4). Trawling operations during trip 1 and cruise 93-4 were conducted at the East Dallmann Bay MSSSI (West shore of Brabant Island). Species collected included three Antarctic rockcods (Gobionotothen gibberifrons, Notothenia coriiceps, Dissostichus mawsoni), three icefishes (Chaenocephalus aceratus, Champsocephalus gunnari, Chionodraco rastrospinosus), one dragonfish (Parachaenichthys charcoti), and one skate (a Bathyraja species). Continuing severe weather/sea conditions precluded sampling at our exposed fishing grounds near Low and Livingston Islands. During periods of inclement weather, we surveyed the northeast shore of Anvers Island (e.g., Lapeyrere Bay), the southwest coast of Brabant Island (Schollaert Channel) and the northern coast of Gand Island for new, sheltered fishing sites, but shallow bottom suitable for otter trawling was not found. The aggregate S-037/S-036 catch at Dallmann Bay numbered approximately 400 fishes. These fishes were transported alive to Palmer Station, where they were maintained in seawater aquaria (0 to -1.5 deg C). On fishing trip 2 (13-17 May) we sampled the fish fauna south of Palmer Station to gain access to taxa not found at our northern fishing sites. After transit to the Matha Straits, we surveyed the bottom of Crystal Sound on the eastern side of Lavoisier Island. We identified and fished a smooth-bottomed, 900-meter deep trench (termed the "Banana Basin") stretching from 66 deg 16.8 min South, 66 deg 35.6 min West to 66 deg 14.1 min South, 66 deg 31.2 min West. Four bottom trawls revealed a deep- water piscine community, including four species of zoarcids (eel pouts), two species of dragonfish [tentatively identified by S. Norton (S-036) as Akarotaxis nudiceps and Vomeridens infuscipinnis], one species of Artedidraconid plunderfish (tentatively Dolloidraco longedorsalis), and four unfamiliar nototheniid species. Tissues were collected from these fishes and frozen for transport to our laboratory at Northeastern University. (Fish carcasses were preserved for identification at the Univ. of Maine.) The availability of these fishes, which have not been captured previously by S-037/S-036, greatly expands the comparative base for our studies of cold adaptation of microtubule assembly and function. Poor weather and short day lengths prevented exploration planned for Renaud Island and its environs. On our return to Palmer (17 May), we surveyed the bottom south of the Joubin Islands; bottom suitable for fishing was not found. During May, we made further substantive progress toward understanding the structural and functional adaptations of the tubulins and MAPs of Antarctic fishes. Specific accomplishments include: 1. Carboxy-terminal (C-terminal) peptides from brain tubulin of N. coriiceps. Using HPLC methods developed during April, we isolated additional preparations of C-terminal peptides from brain tubulin of this Antarctic rockcod. These peptides will be returned to our laboratories at Northeastern University (Detrich) and at the Univ. of Virginia (Frankfurter) for quantitative analysis of posttranslational polyglutamylation by mass spectrometry. Preliminary results suggest that the fish peptides are less modified than are the corresponding peptides from bovine brain tubulin, consistent with our hypothesis that structural changes in the C-termini of tubulin are responsible in part for cold adaptation of microtubule assembly in Antarctic fishes. 2. Purification of erythrocyte tubulin from Antarctic fishes. We isolated additional preparations of erythrocyte tubulin from N. coriiceps during May. Furthermore, we evaluated the critical concentrations for assembly of this tubulin at 5 and 10 deg C by turbidimetry. Although preliminary, our results suggest that erythrocyte tubulin differs in its assembly properties from the egg and brain tubulins of Antarctic fishes. To test this hypothesis rigorously, we will perform additional structural and functional analyses on erythrocyte tubulins at our CONUS laboratory. 3. Characterization of the cytoskeletal organization of fish skin cells. During May we continued to culture primary explants of skin from N. coriiceps, G. gibberifrons, and C. aceratus. Suitable cell preparations were then stained with primary antibodies specific for beta tubulin (or for several MAPs) followed by fluorescently tagged secondary antibodies. The stained fish-cell preparations will be returned to our Northeastern laboratory for detailed analysis of their microtubule organization by immunofluorescence microscopy. 4. Purification and characterization of flagellar dyneins from Antarctic fishes. We seek to understand the adaptation of an important group of MAPs, the dynein mechanochemical ATPases, to the cold temperatures experienced by marine poikilotherms of the Antarctic. During May, we completed development of methods for isolation of inner- and outer-arm dyneins from sperm flagella of N. coriiceps, and we processed specimens for electron-microscopic analysis. We also measured the basal and microtubule-stimulated ATPase activities of purified inner-arm dynein. Finally, we prepared and stored sperm axonemes to support further work on these dyneins at Northeastern (Detrich) and at the Worcester Foundation (King). 5. Isolation of nucleic acids from Antarctic fishes. To support our molecular studies of tubulin and MAP genes, we continued to isolate RNA from tissues (brain, testis, ovary, gill, liver, blood cells, spleen, heart, head kidney, etc.) of four Antarctic fishes (N. coriiceps, G. gibberifrons, C. aceratus, P. charcoti). These RNAs will be used in our Northeastern laboratory for production of cDNA libraries and for analysis of the tissue specificity of tubulin and MAP gene expression. We also collected and froze testicular tissues from several species of Antarctic fishes to use for future isolation of genomic DNA. 6. Finally, to support our CONUS studies on microtubule assembly and dynamics, we isolated additional preparations of tubulin and MAPs from brain tissues and from eggs of N. coriiceps, G. gibberifrons, and C. aceratus. On 22 May, project members W. Detrich, L. Camardella, A. Frankfurter, S. King, and S. Parker departed Palmer for Punta Arenas on board R/V Polar Duke. We leave Palmer having accomplished all major objectives for our 1993 field season. We wish to thank the personnel of Antarctic Support Associates and the captains and crews of R/V Polar Duke for the able support that they provided to our project throughout the season. Their help has contributed greatly to the success of our research efforts. S-106 Stanford VLF. U. Inan, Stanford University. VLF data was acquired on 1/4" Ampex recorder and three consecutive Betamax VCR recorders. Daily data continues to be collected and prepared for retrograde. System being operated by ASA science technician Andy Archer. S-275 UM/DOE Atmospheric Monitoring Program at Palmer Station. T. Snowdon, University of Miami; C. Sanderson/N. Chui, EML/DOE N.Y. No personnel on station. System being run by ASA science technician. System continues to operate on a normal weekly schedule of calibration, background, and sample counts, with one sample filter being exposed for the duration of the week. T-312 Terascan satellite imaging system. R. Whritner, Scripps Institute. No personnel on station. System is being operated by station science technician. Satellite passes have been successfully and continuously archiving. Capture of NOAA-12 satellite telemetry continues to be in question. System graphics capability is non-functional. Potential problems with the alignment of the tracking antenna continue. T-313 UV Monitoring Experiment. C. Booth, Biospherical Instruments. No personnel on station. System is being operated by station science technician. The system is successfully collecting UV data. Several sets of successful Absolute calibrations were established. Many system tests were performed. Problems with the stepper motor/calibration scan interaction continue. S-091 Seismic Observatory, USGS. No personnel on station, systemis being monitored by station science technician. Data is successfully collected and prepared for retrograde. Mass positions were adjusted and vacuum on the ZMV was checked. MAHONEY/NESS 09182247.450 PLM242.JUN