Warming and freshening activate the transcription of genes involved in the cellular stress response in Harpagifer antarcticus

Danixa Martínez*, Catalina Moncada-Kopp, Kurt Paschke, Jorge M. Navarro, Luis Vargas-Chacoff*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Thermal and saline variations of the Southern Ocean are important signs of climate change which can alter the physiological responses of stenotic species residing at high latitudes. Our study aimed to evaluate the cellular stress response (CSR) of Harpagifer antarcticus subjected to increased ambient temperature and decreased salinity. The fish were distributed in different thermal (2, 5, 8, 11, and 14 °C) and saline (23, 28, and 33 psu) combinations for 10 days. We used qPCR analysis to evaluate the transcription of genes involved in the thermal shock response (HSP70, HSC70, HSP90, and GRP78), ubiquitination (E2, E3, ubiquitin, and CHIP), 26S proteasome complex (PSMA2, PSMB7, and PSMC1), and apoptosis (SMAC/Diablo and BAX) in the liver and gill. The expression profiles were tissue-specific and mainly dependent on temperature rather than salinity in the gill; meanwhile, in the liver, both conditions modulated the expression of these genes. Transcription of markers involved in the heat shock response was much higher in the liver than in the gill and was higher when salinity decreased and the temperature increased. Similarly, the genes involved in the ubiquitination pathway, 26S complex of the proteasome, and the apoptotic pathway showed the same pattern, being mainly induced in the liver rather than in the gill. This is the first study to show that this Antarctic fish can induce the cellular stress response in their tissues when subjected to these thermal/saline combinations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)533-546
Number of pages14
JournalFish Physiology and Biochemistry
Volume47
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. part of Springer Nature.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Aquatic Science

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