ToxChip PCR Arrays for Two Arctic-Breeding Seabirds: Applications for Regional Environmental Assessments

• Main Authors: Yasmeen Zahaby (10798786), Pu Xia (520145), Doug Crump (354611), Jennifer F. Provencher (8276022), Philippe J. Thomas (9409993), Bruce Pauli (238582), Birgit M. Braune (1719220), Ryan P. Franckowiak (3924926), Michel Gendron (10798789), Guy Savard (10798792), Sailendra Nath Sarma (10798795), Mark L. Mallory (680717), Jason O’Brien (10099678)
• Format: Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 1753
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Genetics; Ecology; Marine Biology; Inorganic Chemistry; Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified; PAC; Baffin Bay-Davis Strait; guillemot; Regional Environmental Assessments; effects-based monitoring efforts; region; background gene expression profiles; seabird; toxicogenomics approach; Canadian Arctic Archipelago; Akpait National Wildlife Areas; exploration; 5 trace elements; future monitoring efforts; BBDS; species; chemical; ToxChip PCR Arrays; ToxChip PCR array; data; transcriptomic; gene expression signatures; Arctic; Baffin Bay; Arctic Archipelago; Arctic birds; Baffin; Black guillemot; Cepphus grylle; Davis Strait; thick-billed murre; Uria lomvia; uria
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c00229.s001

Increasing pollution in the Arctic poses challenges in terms of geographical and ecological monitoring. The Baffin Bay-Davis Strait (BBDS) region in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago is of particular concern due to the potential for increased shipping traffic and oil exploration. However, data on background contaminants associated with oil exploration/spills/natural seeps (e.g., polycyclic aromatic compounds [PAC]) and measures of potential effects for Arctic birds are limited. We developed a toxicogenomics approach to investigate the background gene expression profiles for two Arctic-breeding seabirds, the thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) and the black guillemot (Cepphus grylle), which will aid effects-based monitoring efforts. Chemical burdens (53 PACs and 5 trace elements) and transcriptomic profiles (31 genes using a ToxChip PCR array) were examined in liver tissues ( n = 30) of each species collected from the Qaqulluit and Akpait National Wildlife Areas in the BBDS region. While chemical and transcriptomic profiles demonstrated low variability across individuals for each species, gene expression signatures were able to distinguish guillemots collected from two distinct colonies. This toxicogenomics approach provides benchmark data for two Arctic seabirds and is promising for future monitoring efforts and strategic environmental assessments in this sensitive ecosystem and areas elsewhere in the circumpolar Arctic that are undergoing change.