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Published on: August 8, 2017
Transcriptomic responses to within-generation and intergenerational environmental warming in a cold-adapted salmonid.
Chantelle M Penney1, Gary Burness2, Gerardo Zapata3
1Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9J 7B8.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|March 28, 2025
Summary
Climate change threatens cold-adapted species like lake trout. While parental acclimation has some effect, offspring
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Genomics
- Climate Change Biology
Background:
- Cold-adapted species face significant threats from climate change due to rapid warming.
- Intergenerational thermal plasticity is a potential mechanism for cold-adapted organisms to respond to rising temperatures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular responses of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) to elevated temperatures.
- To examine the effects of within-generation (offspring) and intergenerational (parental) warm acclimation on gene expression.
Main Methods:
- RNA sequencing was employed to analyze differential gene expression in juvenile lake trout.
- Experimental design included varying offspring and parental acclimation temperatures.
Main Results:
- Within-generation (offspring) warm acclimation had a more substantial impact on gene expression than intergenerational (parental) acclimation.
- Differentially expressed genes were associated with thermal stress, signaling, immune function, and transcription regulation.
- Gene expression patterns were influenced by offspring acclimation temperature, both independently and in conjunction with parental acclimation.
Conclusions:
- Intergenerational effects on gene expression were observed in lake trout under elevated temperatures.
- These intergenerational effects are unlikely to provide sufficient adaptation for populations to cope with significant climate change-driven warming.
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01:10Transcription
Overview
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
02:45Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
02:02Responses to Salt Stress
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
02:27Background 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.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
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01:20Gene-Environment Interactions
Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
01:26Derivatives: Problem Solving
Temperature-Dependent Growth of Brook TroutThe growth of brook trout is closely influenced by water temperature. Experimental data demonstrate how trout weight changes over a 24-day period in response to varying water temperatures. At lower temperatures, such as 15.5 degrees Celsius, brook trout show significant weight gain. However, as the temperature increases, the amount of weight gained steadily decreases. At the highest temperature measured, 24.4 degrees Celsius, trout experience a net...