Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure?
An opportunistic investigation into ecosystem instability in Kachemak Bay (KBay), Alaska, has led us to investigate exposure to toxic algae in sea otters. We used gene expression to explore the physiological health of sea otters sampled in KBay in May 2019. We found altered levels of gene transcript...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Oceans |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/3/3/27 |
| _version_ | 1827658114026962944 |
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| author | Lizabeth Bowen Susan Knowles Kathi Lefebvre Michelle St. Martin Michael Murray Kim Kloecker Daniel Monson Benjamin Weitzman Brenda Ballachey Heather Coletti Shannon Waters Caroline Cummings |
| author_facet | Lizabeth Bowen Susan Knowles Kathi Lefebvre Michelle St. Martin Michael Murray Kim Kloecker Daniel Monson Benjamin Weitzman Brenda Ballachey Heather Coletti Shannon Waters Caroline Cummings |
| author_sort | Lizabeth Bowen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An opportunistic investigation into ecosystem instability in Kachemak Bay (KBay), Alaska, has led us to investigate exposure to toxic algae in sea otters. We used gene expression to explore the physiological health of sea otters sampled in KBay in May 2019. We found altered levels of gene transcripts in comparison with reference sea otters from clinically normal, oil-exposed, and nutritionally challenged populations sampled over the past decade. KBay sea otters were markedly divergent from the other groups for five genes, which indicated the involvement of neurological, cardiac, immune, and detoxification systems. Further, analyses of urine and fecal samples detected domoic acid in the KBay sea otters. In combination, these results may point to chronic, low-level exposure to an algal toxin, such as domoic acid. With a warming climate, the frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms in marine environments is anticipated to increase, and novel molecular technologies to detect sublethal or chronic exposure to algal toxins will help provide an early warning of threats to the stability of populations and ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:54:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92c1cc4f01bd431883d9d2cbd3ed0bd7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-1924 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:54:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Oceans |
| spelling | doaj.art-92c1cc4f01bd431883d9d2cbd3ed0bd72023-11-23T18:14:05ZengMDPI AGOceans2673-19242022-08-013340141810.3390/oceans3030027Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure?Lizabeth Bowen0Susan Knowles1Kathi Lefebvre2Michelle St. Martin3Michael Murray4Kim Kloecker5Daniel Monson6Benjamin Weitzman7Brenda Ballachey8Heather Coletti9Shannon Waters10Caroline Cummings11U.S. Geological Survey, Davis, CA 95616, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Madison, WI 53711, USAEnvironmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 98112 USAU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK 99508, USAMonterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA 93940, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK 99508, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK 99508, USAU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK 99508, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK 99508, USANational Park Service, Fairbanks, AK 99709, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Davis, CA 95616, USAU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK 99508, USAAn opportunistic investigation into ecosystem instability in Kachemak Bay (KBay), Alaska, has led us to investigate exposure to toxic algae in sea otters. We used gene expression to explore the physiological health of sea otters sampled in KBay in May 2019. We found altered levels of gene transcripts in comparison with reference sea otters from clinically normal, oil-exposed, and nutritionally challenged populations sampled over the past decade. KBay sea otters were markedly divergent from the other groups for five genes, which indicated the involvement of neurological, cardiac, immune, and detoxification systems. Further, analyses of urine and fecal samples detected domoic acid in the KBay sea otters. In combination, these results may point to chronic, low-level exposure to an algal toxin, such as domoic acid. With a warming climate, the frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms in marine environments is anticipated to increase, and novel molecular technologies to detect sublethal or chronic exposure to algal toxins will help provide an early warning of threats to the stability of populations and ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/3/3/27sea ottertranscriptomicsdomoic acidKachemak Bay |
| spellingShingle | Lizabeth Bowen Susan Knowles Kathi Lefebvre Michelle St. Martin Michael Murray Kim Kloecker Daniel Monson Benjamin Weitzman Brenda Ballachey Heather Coletti Shannon Waters Caroline Cummings Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure? Oceans sea otter transcriptomics domoic acid Kachemak Bay |
| title | Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure? |
| title_full | Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure? |
| title_fullStr | Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure? |
| title_short | Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Alaskan Sea Otters: An Indicator of Chronic Domoic Acid Exposure? |
| title_sort | divergent gene expression profiles in alaskan sea otters an indicator of chronic domoic acid exposure |
| topic | sea otter transcriptomics domoic acid Kachemak Bay |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/3/3/27 |
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