Detecting genome-wide gene transcription profiles associated with high pollution burden in the critically endangered European eel

• Published in: Aquatic Toxicology
• Main Authors: Pujolar, JM, Milan, M, Marino, I, Belpaire, C, Covaci, A, Malarvannan, G, Patarnello, T, Bargelloni, L, Zane, L, Maes, GE, CAPOCCIONI, FABRIZIO, CICCOTTI, ELEONORA
• Other Authors: Pujolar, J, Capoccioni, F, Ciccotti, E, Maes, G
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, PO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS 2013
• Subjects: Anguilla anguilla European eel Microarrays Pollution Transcriptomics; SCOPUS Indexed keywords EMTREE drug terms: cytochrome c oxidase cytochrome P450 3A flame retardant glutathione transferase organochlorine pesticidep olychlorinated biphenyl derivative proton transporting adenosine triphosphate synthase reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase succinate dehydrogenase ubiquinol cytochrome c reductase GEOBASE Subject Index: bioaccumulation eel endangered species enzyme activity gene genome metabolism organochlorinePCB pollution exposure EMTREE medical terms: animal tissue articl eBelgium bioaccumulation concentration (parameters) controlled study CYP3A gene cytochrome c oxidase gene detoxification eel endangered species energy metabolism environmental exposure female genetic transcription Italy nonhuman nucleotide sequence oxidative phosphorylation priority journal proton transporting adenosine triphosphate synthase genereduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase genesea pollution succinate dehydrogenase geneubiquinol cytochrome c reductase gene MeSH: Anguilla Animals Belgium Ecosystem Endangered Species Environmental Monitoring Flame Retardants Gene Expression Gene Expression ProfilingGene Expression RegulationGenome-Wide Association Study High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing Hydrocarbons; Brominated Hydrocarbons; Chlorinated ItalyLiver Male Molecular Sequence DataOxidative Phosphorylation PesticidesPolychlorinated BiphenylsTranscriptome Water Pollutants; Chemical Regional Index: Belgium Italy Species Index: Anguilla anguilla; WOS Key Words Plus:ANGUILLA-ANGUILLA L; SARGASSO SEA; ENVIRONMENTAL-POLLUTANTS; ECOLOGICAL GENOMICS; OXIDATIVE STRESS; X-RECEPTOR; EXPRESSION; EXPOSURE; RECRUITMENT; BIOMARKERS; Settore BIO/07 - ECOLOGIA; Settore BIO/18 - GENETICA; Settore BIO/13 - BIOLOGIA APPLICATA; Anguilla anguilla; European eel
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2108/77551; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2013.02.012

The European eel illustrates an example of a critically endangered fish species strongly affected by human stressors throughout its life cycle, in which pollution is considered to be one of the factors responsible for the decline of the stock. The objective of our study was to better understand the transcriptional response of European eels chronically exposed to pollutants in their natural environment. A total of 42 pre-migrating (silver) female eels from lowly, highly and extremely polluted environments in Belgium and, for comparative purposes, a lowly polluted habitat in Italy were measured for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Multipollutant level of bioaccumulation was linked to their genome-wide gene transcription using an eel-specific array of 14,913 annotated cDNAs. Shared responses to pollutant exposure were observed when comparing the highly polluted site in Belgium with the relatively clean sites in Belgium and Italy. First, an altered pattern of transcription of genes was associated with detoxification, with a novel European eel CYP3A gene and gluthatione S-transferase transcriptionally up-regulated. Second, an altered pattern of transcription of genes associated with the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, with the following genes involved in the generation of ATP being transcriptionally down-regulated in individuals from the highly polluted site: NADH dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome c oxidase and ATP synthase. Although we did not measure metabolism directly, seeing that the transcription level of many genes encoding enzymes involved in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation were down-regulated in the highly polluted site suggests that pollutants may have a significant effect on energy metabolism in these fish.