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Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
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Functional Cardiac Imaging in Zebrafish Embryos Using Standard Microscopy and Video Analysis: Applications in Environmental and Biomedical Research
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Temperature during embryonic development has persistent effects on thermal acclimation capacity in zebrafish.

Graham R Scott1, Ian A Johnston

  • 1Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada. scottg2@mcmaster.ca

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 15, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Embryonic temperature significantly impacts how zebrafish acclimate to changing temperatures later in life. Early developmental conditions can enhance or hinder their ability to cope with thermal stress, crucial for adapting to climate change.

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Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Climate Change Biology

Background:

  • Ectothermic animals rely on environmental temperatures for physiological function.
  • Global warming necessitates understanding how organisms adapt to temperature fluctuations.
  • Developmental plasticity is a key factor in organismal adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the persistent effects of embryonic temperature on thermal acclimation capacity in zebrafish.
  • To determine if early-life thermal exposure influences physiological performance and gene expression in adulthood.
  • To assess the implications of developmental plasticity for ectotherm adaptation to climate change.

Main Methods:

  • Zebrafish embryos were incubated at different temperatures (22°C, 27°C, 32°C) and raised to adulthood.
  • Adult fish were subjected to short-term temperature challenges and long-term acclimation (16°C and 34°C).
  • Aerobic exercise performance (Ucrit), muscle fiber composition, and muscle transcriptomics (RNA-Seq) were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Embryonic temperature influenced thermal sensitivity and long-term acclimation performance.
  • Fish exposed to extreme embryonic temperatures showed improved cold acclimation performance.
  • RNA-Seq revealed differential gene expression in muscle related to metabolism, stress response, and apoptosis, with distinct patterns between embryonic temperature groups.

Conclusions:

  • Thermal acclimation capacity is not fixed and can be programmed by early developmental temperatures.
  • Developmental plasticity in zebrafish provides a mechanism to cope with variable temperatures.
  • These findings have significant implications for predicting ectotherm responses to future climate change scenarios.