Hepatic transcriptomic profiles from barramundi, Lates calcarifer, as a means of assessing organism health and identifying stressors in rivers in northern Queensland. (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hook, Sharon E.; Kroon, Frederieke J.; Greenfield, Paul A.; Warne, Michael St J.; Smith, Rachael A.; Turner, Ryan D.
• Is Part Of: Marine environmental research. Volume 129(2017)
• Page Start: 166
• Page End: 179
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: Transcriptomics -- RNA seq -- Barramundi -- Great barrier reef -- Pesticides -- Herbicides -- Agricultural contamination; Marine pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Marine ecology -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Écologie marine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 577.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.05.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-1136

Abstract

Abstract: Resource managers need to differentiate between sites with and without contaminants and those where contaminants cause impacts. Potentially, transcriptomes could be used to evaluate sites where contaminant-induced effects may occur, to identify causative stressors of effects and potential adverse outcomes. To test this hypothesis, the hepatic transcriptomes in Barramundi, a perciforme teleost fish, ( Lates calcarifer ) from two reference sites, two agriculturally impacted sites sampled during the dry season, and an impacted site sampled during the wet season were compared. The hepatic transcriptome was profiled using RNA-Seq. Multivariate analysis showed that transcriptomes were clustered based on site and by inference water quality, but not sampling time. The largest differences in transcriptomic profile were between reference sites and a site sampled during high run-off, showing that impacted sites can be identified via RNA-Seq. Transcripts with altered abundance were linked to xenobiotic metabolism, peroxisome proliferation and stress responses, indicating putative stressors with the potential for adverse outcomes in barramundi. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Fish were collected from catchments with different agricultural land use patterns. The hepatic transcriptome differed with different land use and water quality. Transcripts for exposure biomarkers were used to tentatively identify stressors. Functional pathways could contribute to predictions of adverse health outcomes.