PUBLICATION

Comparative Breeding and Behavioral Responses to Ethinylestradiol Exposure in Wild and Laboratory Maintained Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Populations

Authors
Söffker, M., Stevens, J.R., and Tyler, C.R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-121012-26
Date
2012
Source
Environmental science & technology   46(20): 11377-11383 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Tyler, Charles R.
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Bangladesh
  • Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Ethinyl Estradiol/analysis
  • Ethinyl Estradiol/toxicity*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Male
  • Reproduction/drug effects*
  • Vitellogenins/metabolism
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
PubMed
23034054 Full text @ Env. Sci. Tech.
Abstract

Genetic variation has a significant effect on behavior, fitness, and response to toxicants; however, this is rarely considered in ecotoxicological studies. We compared fitness-related behavioral traits, breeding activity, and the effects of exposure to the environmental estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE2) on reproduction in a laboratory (Wild Indian Karyotype, WIK) strain and a wild-caught population (Bangladesh, BLD01) of Danio rerio (zebrafish). In WIK fish, males with higher observed heterozygocity were more active reproductively and more successful in securing parentage, but these relationships were not apparent in the BLD01 fish. The frequency of reproductive behaviors increased in WIK zebrafish for exposure to 0.4 ng/L EE2, which was not apparent in the BLD01 zebrafish. The different strains showed the same threshold for hepatic vitellogenin gene (vtg) induction (2.2 ng EE2/L), but results suggested an elevated response level in the BLD01. There were no effects on total egg production up to 2.2 ng EE2/L in either population; however, there was reduced egg fertilization rate at 2.2 ng EE2/L in the BLD01 fish. These results show consistency in the general responses to EE2 between these two genetically divergent strains of zebrafish, but also illustrate differences in their breeding biology and response sensitivities. These findings highlight the need for due consideration of the source (and genetics) of populations used in ecological risk assessment for accurate comparisons among studies.

Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping