Project description:Epigenetic variation has the potential to control environmentally dependent development and contribute to phenotypic responses to local environments. Environmental epigenetic studies of sexual organisms confirm the responsiveness of epigenetic variation, which should be even more important when genetic variation is lacking. A previous study of an asexual snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, demonstrated that different populations derived from a single clonal lineage differed in both shell phenotype and methylation signature when comparing lake versus river populations. Here, we examine methylation variation among lakes that differ in environmental disturbance and pollution histories. The differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) identified among the different lake comparisons suggested a higher number of DMRs and variation between rural Lake 1 and one urban Lake 2 and between the two urban Lakes 2 and 3, but limited variation between the rural Lake 1 and urban Lake 3. DMR genomic characteristics and gene associations were investigated. Observations suggest there is no effect of geographic distance or any consistent pattern of DMRs between urban and rural lakes. Environmental factors may influence epigenetic response.
Project description:The consistent cold temperatures and large amount of precipitation in the Olympic and Cascade ranges of Washington State are thought to increase atmospheric deposition of contaminants in these high elevation locations. Total mercury and 28 organochlorine compounds were measured in composite, whole fish samples collected from 14 remote lakes in the Olympic, Mt. Rainer, and North Cascades National Parks. Mercury was detected in fish from all lakes sampled and ranged in concentration from 17 to 262 ug/kg wet weight. Only two organochlorines, total polychlorinated biphenyls (tPCB) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), were detected in fish tissues (concentrations <25 ug/kg wet weight). No organochlorines were detected in sediments (MRL ≈1-5 ug/kg), while median total and methyl mercury in sediments were 30.4 and 0.34 ug/kg (dry weight), respectively. Using a targeted rainbow trout cDNA microarray with known genes, we detected significant differences in liver transcriptional responses, including metabolic, endocrine, and immune-related genes, in fish collected from a contaminated lake compared to a lake with a lower contaminant load. Overall, our results suggest that local urban areas are contributing to the observed contaminant patterns, while the transcriptional changes point to a biological response associated with exposure to these contaminants in fish. Specifically, the gene expression pattern leads us to hypothesize a role for mercury in disrupting the metabolic and reproductive pathways in fish from high elevation lakes in western Washington. Keywords: High altitude lakes, mercury, salmonids, organochlorines
Project description:Aquatic microbial communities contain a vast amount of genetic diversity and we have much to learn about how this manifests to functional diversity. Existing long-term time series data includes 16S tags, metagenomes, single amplified genomes (SAGs), and genomes from metagenomes (GFMs). Information about functional diversity and metabolic capabilities is often unavailable. The study sites include three lakes that are the subject of intense study through the North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research site: Sparkling Lake (oligotrophic), Lake Mendota (eutrophic), and Trout Bog Lake (dystrophic).
The work (proposal:https://doi.org/10.46936/10.25585/60000947) conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (https://ror.org/04xm1d337), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.
Project description:Our main objectives wereto investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in metal toxicity and detoxification in the field using juvenile yellow perch subjected to differents levels of this metal exposure. Recent local adaptation to pollution has been evidenced in several organisms inhabiting environments heavily contaminated by metals. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to high metal concentrations are poorly understood, especially in fishes. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) populations from lakes in the mining area of Rouyn-Noranda (QC, Canada) have been faced with metal contamination for about 90 years. Here, we examine gene transcription patterns of fish reciprocally transplanted between a reference and a metal-contaminated lake and also fish caged in their native lake. After four weeks, 111 genes were differentially transcribed in metal-naïve fish transferred to the metal-contaminated lake, revealing a plastic response to metal exposure. Genes involved in the citric cycle and beta-oxidation pathways were under-transcribed, suggesting a potential strategy to mitigate the effects of metal stress by reducing energy turnover. However, metal-contaminated fish transplanted to the reference lake did not show any transcriptomic response, indicating a reduced plastic response capability to sudden reduction in metal concentrations. Moreover, the transcription of other genes, especially ones involved in energy metabolism, was affected by caging. Overall, our results highlight environmental stress response mechanisms in yellow perch at the transcriptomic level and support a rapid adaptive response to metal exposure through genetic assimilation. Comparison between fish Op and OpâOp using a pairwise design corresponding to the cage experiment in the reference lake Opasatica (Op), comparison between fish Du and DuâDu using a pairwise design corresponding to the cage experiment in the metal contaminated lake Dufault (Du), comparison between fish from reference lake transplanted to the metal contaminated lake (OpâDu) and fish from reference lake caged in their own lake (OpâOp) using pairwise design corresponding to the experiment of metal contamination, comparison between fish from metal contaminated lake transplanted to the reference lake (DuâOp) and fish from the metal contaminated lake caged in their own lake (DuâDu) using pairwise design corresponding to the depuration experiment.