Rapid senescence in sockeye salmon (

Oncorhynchus nerka

)Leslie Jensen

This work partially fulfills the course requirements for University of Washington course FISH495

Abstract:

Sockeye salmon (

Oncorhynchus nerka

), along with all other Pacific salmon, exhibit rapidsenescence after reaching reproductive maturity, making them an interesting study organism. For this study, tissue samples were collected from pre-senescent and senescent sockeye salmonspawning at two different sites in southwestern Alaska, which had significantly different rates of senescence. In order to examine physiological mechanisms involved in senescence, RNA levelsof adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and heatshock proteins (HSC71) were quantified. In addition, heat shock protein (HSP70) was quantified.CRH levels showed a significant negative relationship with reproductive lifespan (days after beginning reproductive behavior until death by senescence) (p = 0.0036). This relationship between CRH and senescence suggests that there may also be a relationship between cortisollevels and rates of senescence. HSP70 levels were also observed to be associated withsenescence, with average levels increasing for each group of senescent sockeye salmon.

Introduction:

Senescence is often hypothesized to be correlated with the slow accumulation of mutations and the degeneration of cells due to free radical attack on somatic cells (e.g.Harman, 1956; Busuttil et al., 2004). This results in the body gradually "wearing out" until theorganism finally dies of “old age” or senescence. However, many species do not show a gradualrate of physical decline over their lifetime, as seen in humans and other mammals. Instead,semelparous species exhibit rapid senescence, in which the organism shows no signs of aginguntil after the onset of reproductive behavior. Shortly following sexual maturation, the body agesrapidly, resulting in death soon after reproductive behavior begins. Pacific salmon are primeexamples of this life-strategy, with signs of senescence only visibly during the short period (daysto weeks) between the onset of reproductive behavior and death.Pacific salmon migrate to the ocean after rearing in freshwater, where they do most of their growth, and then return to their natal streams to spawn for one season before they die.During migration to freshwater and their spawning grounds, Pacific salmon cease eating and begin the process of sexual maturation, which they complete before reaching their spawninggrounds. Individuals may wait to enter natal streams until others decide to enter, and then largegroups will migrate together to reproduce in high densities (Burgner, 1991). Salmon do not beginto show signs of senescence during this waiting period, but will quickly lose coloration anddamage fins once entering their spawning site and/or exhibiting reproductive behaviors. Theindividuals that arrive to the spawning grounds generally show the slowest rate of senescence,giving them a longer period to guard their nest site (called a redd) from later breeders, while later spawners show increased rapidity of senescence (Hendry et al., 2003). Therefore, the arrival dateto the spawning grounds is strongly correlated to longevity of an individual. Additionally, the