Hepatic Transcriptomic Responsiveness of Polar Cod, Boreogadus saida, to Ocean Acidification and Warming
Author:
Kempf Sarah12ORCID, Windisch Heidrun Sigrid13, Kunz Kristina Lore1, Pörtner Hans-Otto1ORCID, Mark Felix Christopher1ORCID, Lucassen Magnus1ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Integrative Ecophysiology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany 2. Faculty 2 Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bibliothekstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany 3. Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Auf dem Aberg 1, 57392 Schmallenberg, Germany
Abstract
Background: This study was part of a larger comprehensive project (BIOACID) addressing the physiological resilience of Polar cod, Boreogadus saida, to ocean acidification and global warming and aimed to unravel underlying molecular mechanisms of the observed physiological responses. Methods: Fish were acclimated long-term to three CO2 concentrations comprising control conditions (390 ppm) and two projected climate scenarios (780 ppm and 1170 ppm). Each CO2 treatment was combined with four temperatures: 0, 3, 6, and 8 °C. Here, we focused on the hepatic transcriptomic profiles from these previously physiologically characterized fish. Results: Generally, we did not detect signs of a classical stress response. Consistent with functional observations, warming induced much stronger molecular responses compared to elevated PCO2, but an interaction between both factors existed to some extent. Gene ontology analysis revealed a strong response in lipid, amino acid, and protein metabolism. With increasing temperature, we observed a shift away from lipid metabolism, while carbohydrate metabolic pathways remained stable. Conclusions: Although we found Polar cod to be quite resilient to ocean acidification, temperature will remain a critical parameter for this valuable Arctic keystone species, and the question remains as to whether the observed acclimation strategies can be implemented in its natural habitat, especially when food supply is limited.
Funder
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research EU
Reference149 articles.
1. Collins, M., Knutti, R., Arblaster, J., Dufresne, J.-L., Fichefet, T., Friedlingstein, P., Gao, X., Gutowski, W.J., Johns, T., and Krinner, G. (2013). Long-term climate change: Projections, commitments and irreversibility. Climate Change 2013-The Physical Science Basis: Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press. 2. The thinning of Arctic sea ice;Kwok;Phys. Today,2011 3. When will the summer Arctic be nearly sea ice free?;Overland;Geophys. Res. Lett.,2013 4. Arctic open-water periods are projected to lengthen dramatically by 2100;Crawford;Commun. Earth Environ.,2021 5. Ocean Acidification: The Other CO2 Problem;Doney;Annu. Rev. Mar. Sci.,2009
|
|