Brain transcriptome of gobies inhabiting natural CO2 seeps reveal acclimation strategies to long-term acidification

Suresh, Sneha, Mirasole, Alice, Ravasi, Timothy, Vizzini, Salvatrice, and Schunter, Celia (2023) Brain transcriptome of gobies inhabiting natural CO2 seeps reveal acclimation strategies to long-term acidification. Evolutionary Applications, 16 (7). pp. 1345-1358.

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Abstract

Ocean acidification (OA) is known to affect the physiology, survival, behaviour and fitness of various fish species with repercussions at the population, community and ecosystem levels. Some fish species, however, seem to acclimate rapidly to OA conditions and even thrive in acidified environments. The molecular mechanisms that enable species to successfully inhabit high CO2 environments have not been fully elucidated especially in wild fish populations. Here, we used the natural CO2 seep in Vulcano Island, Italy to study the effects of elevated CO2 exposure on the brain transcriptome of the anemone goby, a species with high population density in the CO2 seep and investigate their potential for acclimation. Compared to fish from environments with ambient CO2, gobies living in the CO2 seep showed differences in the expression of transcripts involved in ion transport and pH homeostasis, cellular stress, immune response, circadian rhythm and metabolism. We also found evidence of potential adaptive mechanisms to restore the functioning of GABAergic pathways, whose activity can be affected by exposure to elevated CO2 levels. Our findings indicate that gobies living in the CO2 seep may be capable of mitigating CO2-induced oxidative stress and maintaining physiological pH while meeting the consequent increased energetic costs. The conspicuous difference in the expression of core circadian rhythm transcripts could provide an adaptive advantage by increasing the flexibility of physiological processes in elevated CO2 conditions thereby facilitating acclimation. Our results show potential molecular processes of acclimation to elevated CO2 in gobies enabling them to thrive in the acidified waters of Vulcano Island.

Item ID: 79537
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1752-4571
Keywords: anemone goby, brain, climate change, ocean acidification, transcriptomics
Copyright Information: © 2023 The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Date Deposited: 23 Jan 2024 01:44
FoR Codes: 31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310305 Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) @ 30%
41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4101 Climate change impacts and adaptation > 410102 Ecological impacts of climate change and ecological adaptation @ 70%
SEO Codes: 19 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS > 1901 Adaptation to climate change > 190102 Ecosystem adaptation to climate change @ 50%
28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280102 Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences @ 50%
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