iCod 2.0: Integrative environmental genomics of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua); a holistic approach to characterize the biological effects of

Informations

Funding country

Norway

Acronym

-

URL

-

Start date

1/1/2015

End date

12/31/2020

Budget

1,048,944 EUR

Fundings

Abstract

Increasing numbers of structurally diverse chemicals are continuously being identified in biota as emerging contaminants, including in remote areas such as the Arctic and Polar regions. For most of these compounds, knowledge regarding their impacts on key species and ecosystems is limited, and even less is known about their potential mixture (also with legacy pollutants) and multiple stressor effects (e.g. ocean acidification). It is of great importance to address this lack of knowledge and provide new data that can shed light on the ecological risks and putative adverse effects of environmental pollutants on nature and wildlife. This knowledge is crucial for both national and international regulatory authorities in order to make informed decisions, guide policies, and for taking appropriate actions for conserving our environment. In the iCod 2.0 project we have used the commercially important Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) as a model species, and studied responses to pollutants at different biological levels to obtain in-depth knowledge of the physiological effects of emerging contaminants and contaminant mixtures. We have focused on a set of emerging compounds that have recently been detected in coastal and Arctic species (such as perfluorinated compounds and bisphenols), a selection of legacy pollutants that are still predominant in biota (such as methylmercury, oil-related compounds, and PCB), as well as their putative pollutant interactions. For instance, we have recently studied how certain perfluorinated compounds (PFAS) can activate a master-regulator of the energy homeostasis in cod, and demonstrated how a mixture of these substances can further potentiate the activation of the receptor. This emphasizes how emerging contaminants can influence metabolic pathways and how mixtures of pollutants potentially can strengthen the adverse outcomes. During this project, we have revealed how several pollutants can act as enocrine- and metabolic disruptors, and potentially affect critical biological processes like growth, reproduction, and survival. We have obtained detailed knowledge of which cellular signaling pathways are affected by the exposure, how mixtures of chemicals can cause cross-talk between different signaling pathways, and how adaptive and compensating responses are activated in order to cope with the exposure. In addition, iCod 2.0 has provided knowledge that is important for extrapolating effects of environmental pollutants to other species, as well as data that aid the prediction of potential effects on populations and marine ecosystems.