Research Interests

Understanding of the mechanisms and evolutionary origin of aging is a central problem in modern biology. Many animals like fish and numerous invertebrates are characterized by infinite growth, which makes it especially difficult to study aging because of the interference with the effects of continuously increasing size, and mechanisms of senescence and lifespan regulation in them are largely unknown. The main topic of my research is longevity control and physiology of aging in animals with infinite growth, using marine bivalve mollusks as a model. We believe that the maximal lifespan in these animals is determined by the balance in energy allocation within an organism, therefore infinite growth bears challenges in animals due to allometric constrains. In particular, we are focused on age-related metabolic changes and oxidative stress in mollusks because aerobic metabolism is closely connected with production of oxygen radicals, which significantly contribute to the aging process. We use physiological, biochemical and cellular approaches with an outcome in understanding of how organisms and their populations perform in nature.

Professional Experience

§          1984-1986     Research trainee, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St.- Petersburg, Russia

§          1986-1992     Research Fellow, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg, Russia

§          1992-2005     Senior Research Fellow, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg, Russia

§          2006-present  Assistant Professor University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Education

§          M.S.                St.-Petersburg State University, St.-Petersburg, Russia, 1984

§          Ph.D.              Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg, Russia, 1990

Courses Taught: 

Ecology Lab BIOL 3144L - Spring 2006

Ecology BIOL 3144 - Fall 2006
Topics in Ecophysiology BIOL 4000/5000 - Spring 2007

Selected Publications

§               Sukhotin, A.A., Kulakowski, E.E. (1992): Growth and population dynamics in mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) cultured in the White Sea. Aquaculture, 101: 59-73.

§               Sukhotin, A.A. (1992): Respiration and energetics in mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) cultured in the White Sea. Aquaculture, 101: 41-57.

§               Sukhotin, A.A., Maximovich, N.V. (1994): Variability of growth rate in Mytilus edulis L from the Chupa Inlet (the White Sea). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 176: 15-26.

§               Maximovich, N.V., Sukhotin, A.A., Minichev, Yu.S. (1996): Long-term dynamics of blue mussel culture settlements (the White Sea). Aquaculture, 147: 191-204.

§               Lajus, D.L., Sukhotin, A.A. (1998): A new approach for the assessment of stochastic variation: analysis of behavioural response in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis L.). Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen 52: 141-145.

§               Amiard-Triquet C., Rainglet F., Larroux C., Regoli F., Sukhotin A. (1998): Metallothioneins in Arctic bivalves. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 41B: 96-102. doi:10.1006/eesa.1998.1673

§               Regoli, F., Hummel, H., Amiard-Triquet, C., Larroux, C., Sukhotin, A.A. (1998): Trace metals and variations of antioxidant enzymes in Arctic bivalve populations. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 35: 594-601. http://www.springerlink.com/content/mpnu54qrkk8q5xj6/fulltext.pdf

§               Sukhotin, A.A., Pörtner, H.-O. (1999): Habitat as a factor involved in the physiological response to environmental anaerobiosis of White Sea Mytilus edulis. Marine Ecology Progress Series 184: 149-160. http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/184/m184p149.pdf

§               Sukhotin, A.A., Pörtner, H.-O. (2001): Age-dependence of metabolism in mussels Mytilus edulis (L.) from the White Sea. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 257: 53-72. doi:10.1016/S0022-0981(00)00325-7

§               Sukhotin, A.A., Abele D., Pörtner, H.-O. (2002): Growth, metabolism and lipid peroxidation in Mytilus edulis L.: age and size effects. Marine Ecology Progress Series 226: 223-234. http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps2002/226/m226p223.pdf

§               Sukhotin, A.A., Lajus D.L., Lesin P.A. (2003): Influence of age and size on pumping activity and stress resistance in the marine bivalve Mytilus edulis L. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 284: 129-144. doi:10.1016/S0022-0981(02)00497-5

§               Bufalova E.N., Strelkov P.P., Katolikova M.V., Sukhotin A.A., Kozin M.B. (2005): Mussels Mytilus of Tuva Bay (Kola Inlet, Barents Sea). Vestnik SPBGU, 3: 99-105.

§               Nikolaev K.E., Sukhotin A.A., Galaktionov K.V. (2006): Infection patterns in White Sea blue mussels Mytilus edulis L. of different age and size with metacercariae of Himasthla elongata (Mehlis, 1831) (Echinostomatidae) and Cercaria parvicaudata Stunkard & Shaw, 1931 (Renicolidae).  Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 71: 51-58. http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/dao/v71/n1/p51-58/

§               Sukhotin A.A., Abele D., Pörtner (2006): Ageing and metabolism of Mytilus edulis: populations from various climate regimes. Journal of Shellfish Research 25: 893-899.

§               Sukhotin A.A., Strelkov P.P., Maximovich N.V., Hummel H. (2007): Growth and longevity of Mytilus edulis (L.) from northeast Europe. Marine Biology Research 3: 155-167. DOI: 10.1080/17451000701364869

§               Ngo T.-A., Ngo V., Wilson C., Sukhotin A. (2007) Age- and size-related oxidative stress in marine mollusks. The FASEB Journal, 21, No 6, p. A1040