Abstract
Copepods are zooplanktonic crustaceans ubiquitously widespread in aquatic systems. Although they are not the target, copepods are exposed to a wide variety of pollutants such as insect growth regulators (IGRs). The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular response of a non-targeted organism, the copepod Eurytemora affinis, to an IGR. Adult males and females were exposed to two sub-lethal concentrations of tebufenozide (TEB). Our results indicate a sex-specific response with a higher sensitivity in males, potentially due to a differential activation of stress response pathways. In both sexes, exposure to TEB triggered similar pathways to those found in targeted species by modulating the transcription of early and late ecdysone responsive genes. Among them were genes involved in cuticle metabolism, muscle contraction, neurotransmission, and gametogenesis, whose mis-regulation could lead to moult, locomotor, and reproductive impairments. Furthermore, genes involved in epigenetic processes were found in both sexes, which highlights the potential impact of exposure to TEB on future generations. This work allows identification of (i) potential biomarkers of ecdysone agonists and (ii) further assessment of putative physiological responses to characterize the effects of TEB at higher biological levels. The present study reinforces the suitability of using E. affinis as an ecotoxicological model.
Highlights
Copepods are small crustaceans inhabiting most aquatic environments from freshwater to marine and brackish systems
The aim of the present work was to explore the molecular response of a non-targeted organism to an ecdysone receptor agonist insecticide via a transcriptomic approach
We highlighted the similarities in the mode of action (MoA) of the insecticide on its target species and on the copepod E. affinis and the main biological function impacted by exposure to the insecticide
Summary
Copepods are small crustaceans inhabiting most aquatic environments from freshwater to marine and brackish systems. The Copepoda subclass has 10 orders [1] and 14,724 known species (Encyclopedia Of Life, accessed on 4 March 2021, https://eol.org/), including free-living or parasitic organisms, which shows a high diversity in morphology and physiology [2]. These organisms are important in the trophic chain as they link primary producers with larger predators [3]. Recent advances in non-model genome sequencing have allowed the use of these technologies for a greater number of species commonly used in ecotoxicology, such as copepods [14]
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