Chapter 10 Metabolic and Molecular Responses of Fish to Hypoxia

Cardiac Transcriptomics Reveals That MAPK Pathway Plays an Important Role in Hypoxia Tolerance in Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)

As aquatic animals, fishes often encounter various situations of low oxygen, and they have evolved the ability to respond to hypoxia stress. Studies of physiological and molecular responses to hypoxia stress are essential to clarify genetic mechanisms underlying hypoxia tolerance in fish. In this study, we performed acute hypoxia treatment in juvenile bighead carp (Hypophthalmicthys nobilis) by decreasing water O₂ from 6.5 mg/L to 0.5 mg/L in three hours. This hypoxia stress resulted in a significant increase in blood lactate and serum glucose. Comparisons of heart transcriptome among hypoxia tolerant (HT), hypoxia sensitive (HS), and normoxia control (NC) groups showed that 820, 273, and 301 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in HS vs. HT, NC vs. HS, and NC vs. HT (false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.01, Fold Change> 2), respectively. KEGG pathway enrichment showed that DEGs between HS and HT groups were mainly involved in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, insulin signaling, apoptosis, tight junction and adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes pathways, and DEGs in MAPK signaling pathway played a key role in cardiac tolerance to hypoxia. Combined with the results of our previous cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) analysis of hypoxia stress in this species, such genes as stbp2, ttn, mapk, kcnh, and tnfrsf were identified in both studies, representing the significance of these DEGs in hypoxia tolerance in bighead carp. These results provide insights into the understanding of genetic modulations for fish heart coping with hypoxia stress and generate basic resources for future breeding studies of hypoxia resistance in bighead carp.

Plasticity, repeatability and phenotypic correlations of aerobic metabolic traits in a small estuarine fish

Standard metabolic rate (SMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), absolute aerobic scope (AAS) and critical oxygen tension (P_crit) were determined for the Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, an ecologically dominant estuarine fish, acclimated to lowered salinity, elevated temperature and lowered oxygen concentration. Acclimation to low salinity resulted in a small, but significant, elevation of P_crit (suggesting lower tolerance of hypoxia); acclimation to elevated temperature increased SMR, MMR, AAS and P_crit; acclimation to low oxygen led to a small increase in SMR, but substantial decreases in MMR, AAS and P_crit Variation in these metabolic traits among individuals was consistent and repeatable when measured during multiple control exposures over 7 months. Trait repeatability was unaffected by acclimation condition, suggesting that repeatability of these traits is not context dependent. There were significant phenotypic correlations between specific metabolic traits: SMR was positively correlated with MMR and P_crit; MMR was positively correlated with AAS; and AAS was negatively correlated with P_crit In general, within-individual variation contributed more than among-individual variation to these phenotypic correlations. The effects of acclimation on these traits demonstrate that aerobic metabolism is plastic and influenced by the conditions experienced by these fish in the dynamic habitats in which they occur; however, the repeatability of these traits and the correlations among them suggest that these traits change in ways that maintain the rank order of performance among individuals across a range of environmental variation.

Plasticity, repeatability and phenotypic correlations of aerobic metabolic traits in a small estuarine fish

Standard metabolic rate (SMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), absolute aerobic scope (AAS) and critical oxygen tension (Pcrit) were determined for the Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, an ecologically dominant estuarine fish, acclimated to lowered salinity, elevated temperature and lowered oxygen concentration. Acclimation to low salinity resulted in a small, but significant, elevation of Pcrit (suggesting lower tolerance of hypoxia); acclimation to elevated temperature increased SMR, MMR, AAS and Pcrit; acclimation to low oxygen led to a small increase in SMR, but substantial decreases in MMR, AAS and Pcrit Variation in these metabolic traits among individuals was consistent and repeatable when measured during multiple control exposures over 7 months. Trait repeatability was unaffected by acclimation condition, suggesting that repeatability of these traits is not context dependent. There were significant phenotypic correlations between specific metabolic traits: SMR was positively correlated with MMR and Pcrit; MMR was positively correlated with AAS; and AAS was negatively correlated with Pcrit In general, within-individual variation contributed more than among-individual variation to these phenotypic correlations. The effects of acclimation on these traits demonstrate that aerobic metabolism is plastic and influenced by the conditions experienced by these fish in the dynamic habitats in which they occur; however, the repeatability of these traits and the correlations among them suggest that these traits change in ways that maintain the rank order of performance among individuals across a range of environmental variation.

Combined exposure to hypoxia and ammonia aggravated biological effects on glucose metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Hypoxia and ammonia are unavoidable environmental factors in aquaculture, and have been shown cause various adverse effects in fish. In the present study, a two-factor crossover experiment was carried out to evaluate the combined effect of hypoxia and ammonia on oxidative stress and glucose metabolism endpoints in largemouth bass. The fish were divided into four experimental groups: hypoxia and ammonia group, hypoxia group, ammonia group, and control group. The results showed that hypoxia and ammonia exposures both induced antioxidant response and oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and catalase [CAT] activities increased first then decreased, and malondialdehyde accumulated) and anaerobic glycolysis (increase of blood glucose, decrease of liver glycogen, accumulation of lactate, and increased lactate dehydrogenase activity). In addition, hypoxia and ammonia upregulated antioxidant enzyme genes (Cu/ZnSOD, CAT, and GPx), apoptosis genes (caspase 3, caspase 8, and caspase 9), as well as inflammatory genes (interleukin [IL]-1β and IL-8) and downregulated an anti-inflammatory gene (IL-10), suggesting that apoptosis and inflammation may be related to oxidative stress. The increased expression of GLUT1, LDH, and MCT4 were induced by hypoxia and ammonia, suggesting that anaerobic glycolysis was increased. Furthermore, fish suffering from hypoxia or ammonia exposure showed some changes in gill tissues histology, and the most severe lesions of gill tissues appeared in simultaneous exposure. Overall, both hypoxia and ammonia affected homeostasis, and simultaneous exposure led to more deleterious effects on largemouth bass than exposure to the individual stressors.

Effects of hypoxia on the behavior and physiology of kelp forest fishes

Forecasts from climate models and oceanographic observations indicate increasing deoxygenation in the global oceans and an elevated frequency and intensity of hypoxic events in the coastal zone, which have the potential to affect marine biodiversity and fisheries. Exposure to low dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions may have deleterious effects on early life stages in fishes. This study aims to identify thresholds to hypoxia while testing behavioral and physiological responses of two congeneric species of kelp forest fish to four DO levels, ranging from normoxic to hypoxic (8.7, 6.0, 4.1, and 2.2 mg O2 /L). Behavioral tests identified changes in exploratory behavior and turning bias (lateralization), whereas physiological tests focused on determining changes in hypoxia tolerance (pCrit), ventilation rates, and metabolic rates, with impacts on the resulting capacity for aerobic activity. Our findings indicated that copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) and blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) express sensitivity to hypoxia; however, the strength of the response differed between species. Copper rockfish exhibited reduced absolute lateralization and increased escape time at the lowest DO levels, whereas behavioral metrics for blue rockfish did not vary with oxygen level. Both species exhibited decreases in aerobic scope (as a function of reduced maximum metabolic rate) and increases in ventilation rates to compensate for decreasing oxygen levels. Blue rockfish had a lower pCrit and stronger acclimation response compared to copper rockfish. The differences expressed by each species suggest that acclimatization to changing ocean conditions may vary, even among related species that recruit to the same kelp forest habitat, leading to winners and losers under future ocean conditions. Exposure to hypoxia can decrease individual physiological fitness through metabolic and aerobic depression and changes to anti-predator behavior, with implications for the outcome of ecological interactions and the management of fish stocks in the face of climate change.

Low dissolved oxygen increases uptake of a model calcium channel blocker and alters its effects on adult Pimephales promelas

Human population growth accompanied with urbanization is urbanizing the water cycle in many regions. Urban watersheds, particularly with limited upstream dilution of effluent discharges, represent worst case scenarios for exposure to multiple environmental stressors, including down the drain chemicals (e.g., pharmaceuticals) and other stressors (e.g., dissolved oxygen (DO)). We recently identified the calcium channel blocker diltiazem (DZM) to accumulate in fish plasma exceeding human therapeutic doses (e.g., C_min) in coastal estuaries impaired due to nonattainment of DO water quality standards. Thus, we examined whether DO influences DZM uptake by fish, and if changes in DO-dependent upatke alter fish physiological and biochemical responses. Low DO (3.0 mg DO/L) approximately doubled diltiazem uptake in adult fathead minnows relative to normoxic (8.2 mg DO/L) conditions and were associated with significant (p < 0.05) increases in fish ventilation rate at low DO levels. Decreased burst swim performance (U_burst) of adult fathead minnows were significantly (p < 0.05) altered by low versus normal DO levels. DO × DZM studies reduced U_burst by 13-31% from controls, though not significantly (p = 0.06). Physiological responses in fish exposed to DZM alone were minimal; however, in co-exposure with low DO, decreasing trends in U_burst appeared inversely related to plasma lactate levels. Such physiological responses to multiple stressors, when paired with internal tissue concentrations, identify the utility of employing biological read across approaches to identify adverse outcomes of heart medications and potentially other cardiotoxicants impacting fish cardiovascular function across DO gradients.

Acute hypoxia changes the mode of glucose and lipid utilization in the liver of the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Dissolved oxygen (DO) undountedly affects fish distribution, metabolism, and evern survival. Intensive aquaculture and environmental changes will inevitably lead to hypoxic stress for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The different metabolic responses and mechanism still remains relatively unknown during acute hypoxia exposure. In this study, largemouth bass were subjected to hypoxic stress (3.0 ± 0.2 mg/L and 1.2 ± 0.2 mg/L) for 24 h and 12 h reoxygenation to systemically evaluate indicators of glucose and lipid metabolism. A regulatory network was constructed using RNA-seq to further elucidate the transcriptional regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. During hypoxia for 4 h, the liver glycogen, glucose and pyruvic acid contents significantly decreased, whereas plasma glucose content and liver lactic acid content increased significantly. The accumulation of liver triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids was enhanced during hypoxia for 8 h. The activity of key enzymes revealed the different metabolic responses to hypoxia exposure for 4 h, including the enhancement of glycolysis, and inhibition of gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, hypoxia exposure for 8 h increased lipid mobilization, and inhibited the β-oxidation. In addition, an integrated regulatory network of 9 major pathways involved in the response to hypoxia exposure was constructed, including HIF signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway and PPAR signaling pathway; glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism, fatty acid degradation and fatty acid biosynthesis. Additionally, reoxygenation inhibited glycolysis, and promoted gluconeogenesis and lipid oxidation, but energy deficits persisted. In short, although the mobilization and activation of fatty acid in liver were enhanced in the early stage of hypoxia, glycolysis was the main energy source under acute hypoxia. The extent and duration of hypoxia determine the degree of change in energy metabolism.

Interactive effect of thermal and hypoxia on largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) gill and liver: Aggravation of oxidative stress, inhibition of immunity and promotion of cell apoptosis

High temperatures and low oxygen in aquatic environments, such as intensive aquaculture or in natural watersheds, inevitably cause stress in fish. Fish are exposed to high temperatures during the summer, which exacerbates hypoxia. Hypoxia (1.2 ± 0.2 mg/L) under 20 °C (20 HG) and 26 °C (26 HG) was simulated to induce stress in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Related enzymes and genes involved in antioxidant, immune, and apoptotic responses were selected to explore the interactive effects of temperature and hypoxia on largemouth bass. The results showed that malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma, gill, and liver increased in the 26 HG (p < 0.05). Liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased in the 26 HG. Peak SOD (SOD1, SOD2, SOD3a, and SOD3b), CAT, and GSH-Px mRNA levels in the gill and liver were observed at 12-24 h of stress. The levels of gill and liver total antioxidant capacity, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and other enzyme activities and genes in the 26 HG were higher than those in the 20 HG (p < 0.05). The gill and liver acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities increased with time in the 26 HG (p < 0.05), while gill and liver lysozyme activities in the 26 HG were lower than those in the 20 HG (p < 0.05). Tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA level was upregulated in the gill and downregulated in the liver at 24 h in the 26 HG. Interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-8 mRNA levels were upregulated in the gill and liver in the 26 HG at 24 h, whereas IL-15 mRNA level was downregulated in the 26 HG at 12 h. Transforming growth factor-β1 mRNA level was upregulated in the gill in the 20 HG at 24 h, but downregulated in gill and liver in the 26 HG at 24 h. Similarly, IL-10, Hepcidin-1, and Hepcidin-2 showed lower expression levels in the 26 HG. Gill and liver caspase-3 activities were higher in the 26 HG (p < 0.05), and gill caspase-3 activity was higher than that in the liver. The mRNA levels of proapoptotic genes (caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9) were higher in the 26 HG. The present study demonstrates the interactive effects of temperature and hypoxia on stress in largemouth bass gill and liver. These results will be helpful to understand the mechanisms of stress induced by temperature and hypoxia in fish and provide a theoretical basis for aquaculture management.

Effects of hypoxia on aerobic metabolism and active electrosensory acquisition in the African weakly electric fish Marcusenius victoriae

Environmental hypoxia has effected numerous and well-documented anatomical, physiological and behavioural adaptations in fishes. Comparatively little is known about hypoxia's impacts on sensing because it is difficult to quantify sensory acquisition in vivo. Weakly electric fishes, however, rely heavily on an easily-measurable sensory modality-active electric sensing-whereby individuals emit and detect electric organ discharges (EODs). In this study, hypoxia tolerance of a mormyrid weakly electric fish, Marcusenius victoriae, was assessed by examining both its metabolic and EOD rates using a critical threshold (p_crit ) paradigm. The routine metabolic rate was 1.42 mg O₂ h^-1 , and the associated critical oxygen tension was 14.34 mmHg. Routine EOD rate was 5.68 Hz with an associated critical tension of 15.14 mmHg. These metabolic indicators of hypoxia tolerance measured in this study were consistent with those in previous studies on M. victoriae and other weakly electric fishes. Furthermore, our results suggest that some aerobic processes may be reduced in favour of maintaining the EOD rate under extreme hypoxia. These findings underscore the importance of the active electrosensory modality to these hypoxia-tolerant fish.

A genetic toolkit for the analysis of metabolic changes in Drosophila provides new insights into metabolic responses to stress and malignant transformation

Regulation of the energetic metabolism occurs fundamentally at the cellular level, so analytical strategies must aim to attain single cell resolution to fully embrace its inherent complexity. We have developed methods to utilize a toolset of metabolic FRET sensors for assessing lactate, pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate levels of Drosophila tissues in vivo by imaging techniques. We show here how the energetic metabolism is altered by hypoxia: While some larval tissues respond to low oxygen levels by executing a metabolic switch towards lactic fermentation, the fat body and salivary glands do not alter their energetic metabolism. Analysis of tumor metabolism revealed that depending on the genetic background, some tumors undergo a lactogenic switch typical of the Warburg effect, while other tumors do not. This toolset allows for developmental and physiologic studies in genetically manipulated Drosophila individuals in vivo.

Hypoxia alters vulnerability to capture and the potential for trait-based selection in a scaled-down trawl fishery

Lay summary Selective harvest of wild organisms by humans can influence the evolution of plants and animals, and fishing is recognized as a particularly strong driver of this process. Importantly, these effects occur alongside environmental change. Here we show that aquatic hypoxia can alter which individuals within a fish population are vulnerable to capture by trawling, potentially altering the selection and evolutionary effects stemming from commercial fisheries.

Moderate reductions in dissolved oxygen may compromise performance in an ecologically-important estuarine invertebrate

Coastal ecosystems, including estuaries, are increasingly pressured by expanding hypoxic regions as a result of human activities such as increased release of nutrients and global warming. Hypoxia is often defined as oxygen concentrations below 2 mL O₂ L^-1. However, taxa vary markedly in their sensitivity to hypoxia and can be affected by a broad spectrum of low oxygen levels. To better understand how reduced oxygen availability impacts physiological and molecular processes in invertebrates, we investigated responses of an estuarine amphipod to an ecologically-relevant level of moderate hypoxia (~2.6 mL O₂ L^-1) or severe hypoxia (~1.3 mL O₂ L^-1). Moderate hypoxia elicited a reduction in aerobic scope, and widespread changes to gene expression, including upregulation of metabolic genes and stress proteins. Under severe hypoxia, a marked hyperventilatory response associated with maintenance of aerobic performance was accompanied by a muted transcriptional response. This included a return of metabolic genes to baseline levels of expression and downregulation of transcripts involved in protein synthesis, most of which indicate recourse to hypometabolism and/or physiological impairment. We conclude that adverse ecological effects may occur under moderate hypoxia through compromised individual performance and, therefore, even modest declines in future oxygen levels may pose a significant challenge to coastal ecosystems.

Influence of a dynamic rearing environment on development of metabolic phenotypes in age-0 Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens

Environment-phenotype interactions are the most pronounced during early life stages and can strongly influence metabolism and ultimately ecological fitness. In the present study, we examined the effect of temperature [ambient river temperature (ART) vs ART+2°C], dissolved oxygen (DO; 100% vs 80%) and substrate (presence vs absence) on standard metabolic rate, forced maximum metabolic rate and metabolic scope with Fulton's condition factor (K), energy density (ED) and critical thermal maximum (CTmax) in age-0 Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, before and after a simulated overwintering event. We found that all the environmental variables strongly influenced survival, K, ED and CTmax. Fish reared in elevated temperature showed higher mortality and reduced K pre-winter at 127 days post-hatch (dph). Interestingly, we did not find any significant difference in terms of metabolic rate between treatments at both sampling points of pre- and post-winter. Long-term exposure to 80% DO reduced ED in Lake Sturgeon post-winter at 272 dph. Our data suggest that substrate should be removed at the onset of exogenous feeding to enhance the survival rate of age-0 Lake Sturgeon in the first year of life. Effects of early rearing environment during larval development on survival over winter are discussed with respect to successful recruitment of stock enhanced Lake Sturgeon, a species that is at risk throughout its natural range.

Parental exposure to Deepwater Horizon oil in different environmental scenarios alters development of sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) offspring

The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil exploration platform on April 20, 2010 began a catastrophic leak of approximately 640 million liters crude oil into the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), affecting more than 2100 km of coastline, including wetlands and estuaries that provide habitat and nursery for many aquatic species. Estuaries of the GOM are dynamic environments, with constant fluctuations in salinity and dissolved oxygen, including large hypoxic zones during summer months. Spawning fish in northern GOM estuaries following the DWH incident were at significant risk of oil exposure, and adverse environmental conditions at the time of exposure, such as hypoxia and low salinity, could have exacerbated developmental effects in the offspring. The present study investigated the effects of F₀ parental oil exposure in different environmental scenarios on development of F₁ sheepshead minnow (SHM) offspring. Adult SHM were exposed to the high-energy water accommodated fraction (HEWAF) of crude oil in three environmental scenarios: normoxic (NORM), hypoxic (HYP), and hypoxic with low salinity (HYP-LS). Parental HEWAF exposure in the NORM scenario resulted in developmental effects in F₁ offspring, including altered heart rate, decreased length at hatch, and impaired prey capture. Co-exposure of F₀ SHM to HEWAF and adverse environmental conditions altered HEWAF effects on F₁ heart rate, hatch rate, prey capture, and survival. Time to hatch was not significantly impacted by parental HEWAF in any environmental scenario. The present study demonstrates that parental exposure to HEWAF results in developmental changes in F₁ embryos, and co-exposure to adverse environmental conditions altered the effects for several developmental endpoints. These data suggest that SHM exposed to oil in estuaries experiencing hypoxia or low salinity may produce offspring with worsened outcomes. These developmental effects, in addition to previously reported reproductive effects in adult fish, could lead to long-term population level impacts for SHM.

Hypoxia-induced remodelling of goldfish membranes

Hypoxia-tolerant animals use metabolic suppression as an essential strategy to survive low oxygen. Ectotherms can alter membrane lipid composition in response to changes in environmental temperature, but it is currently unknown whether chronic hypoxia can also elicit membrane restructuring. The goal of this study was to investigate a possible physiological link between membrane remodelling and metabolic suppression in goldfish exposed to prolonged hypoxia (4 weeks at 10% air saturation). We have tested the hypothesis that chronic hypoxia would modulate membrane lipid composition in ways that are consistent with known mechanisms of ion pump inhibition. Because homeoviscous membrane restructuring could interfere with the response to hypoxia, measurements were made at 2 temperatures. Results show that hypoxic goldfish suppress metabolic rate by 74% (at 13 °C) and 63% (at 20 °C). This study is the first to reveal that cold-acclimated animals undergo extensive, tissue-specific restructuring of membrane lipids as they reach minimal metabolic rates. However, hypoxia does not affect membrane composition in fish acclimated to 20 °C. The strong membrane response of cold-acclimated fish involves increases in cholesterol abundance (in white muscle and gills) and in fatty acid saturation, mainly caused by a reduction in %22:6 (docosahexaenoic acid in gills and liver). Major ion pumps like Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase are known to be inhibited by cholesterol and activated by 22:6. Because ion pumping by membrane-bound ATPases accounts for a large fraction of basal cellular energy use, we propose that the membrane responses reported here could be a novel mechanism to promote metabolic suppression in cold-acclimated animals.

Hypoxia Has a Lasting Effect on Fast-Startle Behavior of the Tropical Fish Haemulon plumieri

Anthropogenic activities and climate change have resulted in an increase of hypoxic conditions in nearshore ecosystems worldwide. Depending on the persistence of a hypoxic event, the survival of aquatic animals can be compromised. Temperate fish exposed to hypoxia display a reduction in the probability of eliciting startle responses thought to be important for escape from predation. Here we examine the effect of hypoxia on the probability of eliciting fast-startle responses (fast-starts) of a tropical fish, the white grunt (Haemulon plumieri), and whether hypoxia has a prolonged impact on behavior once the fish are returned to normoxic conditions. White grunts collected from the San Juan Bay Estuary in Puerto Rico were exposed to an oxygen concentration of 2.5 mg L^-1 (40% dissolved oxygen). We found a significant reduction in auditory-evoked fast-starts that lasted for at least 24 hours after fish were returned to normoxic conditions. Accessibility to the neuronal networks that underlie startle responses was an important motivator for this study. Mauthner cells are identifiable neurons found in most fish and amphibians, and these cells are known to initiate fast-starts in teleost fishes. The assumption that most of the short-latency responses in this study are Mauthner cell initiated provided the impetus to characterize the white grunt Mauthner cell. The identification of the cell provides a first step in understanding how low oxygen levels may impact a single cell and its circuit and the behavior it initiates.

Ultra-Low Power Sensor Devices for Monitoring Physical Activity and Respiratory Frequency in Farmed Fish

Integration of technological solutions aims to improve accuracy, precision and repeatability in farming operations, and biosensor devices are increasingly used for understanding basic biology during livestock production. The aim of this study was to design and validate a miniaturized tri-axial accelerometer for non-invasive monitoring of farmed fish with re-programmable schedule protocols. The current device (AE-FishBIT v.1s) is a small (14 mm × 7 mm × 7 mm), stand-alone system with a total mass of 600 mg, which allows monitoring animals from 30 to 35 g onwards. The device was attached to the operculum of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles for monitoring their physical activity by measurements of movement accelerations in x- and y-axes, while records of operculum beats (z-axis) served as a measurement of respiratory frequency. Data post-processing of exercised fish in swimming test chambers revealed an exponential increase of fish accelerations with the increase of fish speed from 1 body-length to 4 body-lengths per second, while a close relationship between oxygen consumption (MO₂) and opercular frequency was consistently found. Preliminary tests in free-swimming fish kept in rearing tanks also showed that device data recording was able to detect changes in daily fish activity. The usefulness of low computational load for data pre-processing with on-board algorithms was verified from low to submaximal exercise, increasing this procedure the autonomy of the system up to 6 h of data recording with different programmable schedules. Visual observations regarding tissue damage, feeding behavior and circulating levels of stress markers (cortisol, glucose, and lactate) did not reveal at short term a negative impact of device tagging. Reduced plasma levels of triglycerides revealed a transient inhibition of feed intake in small fish (sea bream 50-90 g, sea bass 100-200 g), but this disturbance was not detected in larger fish. All this considered together is the proof of concept that miniaturized devices are suitable for non-invasive and reliable metabolic phenotyping of farmed fish to improve their overall performance and welfare. Further work is underway for improving the attachment procedure and the full device packaging.

Oil toxicity and implications for environmental tolerance in fish

Crude oil and its constituent chemicals are common environmental toxicants in aquatic environments worldwide, and have been the subject of intense research for decades. Importantly, aquatic environments are also the sites of numerous other environmental disturbances that can impact the endemic fauna. While there have been a number of attempts to explore the potential additive and synergistic effects of oil exposure and environmental stressors, many of these efforts have focused on the cumulative effects on typical toxicological endpoints (e.g. survival, growth, reproduction and cellular damage). Fewer studies have investigated the impact that oil exposure may have on the ability of exposed animals to tolerate typically encountered environmental stressors, despite the fact that this is an important consideration when placing oil spills in an ecological context. Here we review the available data and highlight potentially understudied areas relating to how oil exposure may impair organismal responses to common environmental stressors in fishes. We focused on four common environmental stressors in aquatic environments - hypoxia, temperature, salinity and acid-base disturbances - while also considering social stress and impacts on the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis. Overall, we believe the evidence supports treating the impacts of oil exposure on environmental tolerance as an independent endpoint of toxicity in fishes.

Response of AMP-activated protein kinase and lactate metabolism of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) under acute hypoxic stress

To study adaptation of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to hypoxic stress, we investigated physiological responses and lactate metabolism of the fish under acute hypoxia. The objectives of this study were to (a) observe changes in glucose, glycogen, and lactate content; (b) detect the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum, brain, heart, and liver tissues; and (c) quantify the dynamic gene expression of AMP activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1), monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4), and lactate dehydrogenase-a (LDHa) following exposure to hypoxia. The fish were subjected to two hypoxia stresses (dissolved oxygen [DO] 1.20 ± 0.2 mg/L and 3.50 ± 0.3 mg/L, respectively) for 24 h. Our results showed that hypoxic stress significantly increased the decomposition of liver glycogen and significantly increased the concentration of blood glucose; however, the muscle glycogen content was not significantly decreased, which indicates that liver glycogen was the main energy source under acute hypoxia. Moreover, hypoxia led to accumulation of a large amount of lactic acid in tissues, possibly due to the activity of lactic acid dehydrogenase, but this process was delayed in the heart and brain relative to the liver. Additionally, hypoxia induced the expression of AMPKα, HIF-1α, MCT1, MCT4, and LDHa, suggesting that glycometabolism had switched from aerobic to anaerobic. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the response to hypoxia in largemouth bass.

Hypoxia enhances blood O2 affinity and depresses skeletal muscle O2 consumption in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are widely used animal models. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying hypoxia tolerance in this species have remained poorly understood. In the present study, we have determined the effects of hypoxia on blood-O₂ transport properties and mitochondrial respiration rate in permeabilized muscle fibres of adult zebrafish exposed to either 1) a gradual decrease in O₂ levels until fish lost equilibrium (~1 h, acute hypoxia), or 2) severe hypoxia (PO₂ ∼ 15 Torr) for 48 h (prolonged hypoxia). Acute, short-term hypoxia caused an increase in hemoglobin (Hb) O₂ affinity (decrease in P₅₀), due to a decrease in erythrocyte ATP after erythrocyte swelling. No changes in isoHb expression patterns were observed between hypoxic and normoxic treatments. Prolonged hypoxia elicited additional reponses on O₂ consumption: lactate accumulated in the blood, indicating that zebrafish relied on glycolysis for ATP production, and mitochondrial respiration of skeletal muscle was overall significantly inhibited. In addition, male zebrafish had higher hypoxia tolerance (measured as time to loss of equilibrium) than females. The present study contributes to our understanding of the adaptive mechanisms that allow zebrafish, and by inference other fish species, to cope with low O₂ levels.

The environmental tolerances and metabolic physiology of sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria)

Given the potential impacts of global warming, such as increases in temperature and the frequency/severity of hypoxia in marine ecosystems, it is important to study the impacts of these environmental challenges on sea-cage reared aquaculture species. This study focuses on the sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), an emerging aquaculture species that has a unique ecology in the wild. For instance, adults inhabit oxygen minimum zones and cool waters at depths up to 1500 m. Using Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) (~1132 g adults) as a comparative species, we used intermittent-flow respirometry to characterize the tolerance and metabolic response of sablefish (~10 g juveniles and ~675 g adults) to acute increases in temperature (2 °C h^-1) and decreases in oxygen level (~10% air saturation h^-1). Adult sablefish were much more hypoxia tolerant than adult salmon [O₂ level at loss of equilibrium ~5.4% vs. ~24.2% air saturation, respectively]. In addition, sablefish could withstand upper temperatures only slightly lower than salmon [critical thermal maximum (CT_max) ~24.9 °C vs. ~26.2 °C, respectively]. Sablefish juveniles were both less hypoxia and thermally tolerant than adults [critical O₂ tension ~18.9% vs. ~15.8% air saturation; CT_max ~22.7 vs. ~24.9 °C, respectively]. Interestingly, many of these differences in environmental tolerance could not be explained by differences in metabolic parameters (aerobic scope or routine metabolic rate). Our findings show that sablefish are tolerant of high temperatures, and very tolerant of hypoxia, traits that are advantageous for an aquaculture species in the era of climate change.

Hypoxia alters the expression of hif-1a mRNA and downstream HIF-1 response genes in embryonic and larval lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) embryos and larvae were exposed to hypoxia at different developmental ages to determine when the cellular response to hypoxia could be initiated. mRNA levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (hif-1α), hsp70, and several HIF-1 target genes were quantified in embryos at 21, 38, 63, 83- and 103-days post fertilisation (dpf) and in larvae at 1, 2, 3- and 4-weeks post hatch (wph) following a 6-hour hypoxia exposure. hsp70 mRNA levels were increased in response to hypoxia at all embryonic ages. By comparison, the first observed change in hif-1α mRNA in response to hypoxia was at 38 dpf, where it was down-regulated from high basal levels, with this response persisting through to 83 dpf. Interestingly, this decrease in hif-1α mRNA coincided with increases in the mRNA levels of the HIF-1 target genes: vegfa (vascular endothelial growth factor A), igfbp1 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1), ldha (lactate dehydrogenase a), gapdh (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) and epo (erythropoietin) at select ages. Collectively, this suggests a possible HIF-1-mediated response to hypoxia despite a decrease in hif-1α mRNA. Coinciding with a decrease in basal levels, increases in hif-1α were measured in response to hypoxia at 103 dpf and in larval fish at 1, 2 and 3 wph but there were no consistent increases in HIF-1 target genes at these ages. Overall, our findings indicate that lake whitefish can mount a response to hypoxia early in embryogenesis which may mitigate some of the damaging effects of exposure to low oxygen levels at these critical life history stages.

Physiological effects of dissolved oxygen are stage-specific in incubating Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Oxygen availability is highly variable during salmonid incubation in natural redds and also in aquaculture incubation systems. Hypoxia generally decreases growth and aerobic metabolism prior to hatching, in parallel with eliciting physiological modifications that enhance oxygen delivery. However, it is less-well known whether developmental hyperoxia can drive the opposite effect. Moreover, there is insufficient understanding of stage-specific developmental windows during which ambient oxygen availability may be of greater or lesser impact to incubating embryos. Here, we tested the effects of hypoxia (50% dissolved oxygen: DO, % air saturation) and hyperoxia (150% DO) on the growth, routine aerobic metabolism ([Formula: see text]) and hypoxia tolerance (O_2crit) of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) during seven developmental windows throughout incubation. Embryos exposed to hyperoxia (150% DO) did not differ from the normoxic group in growth, [Formula: see text] or O_2crit at any developmental window. In contrast, embryos exposed to hypoxia grew slower and had a lower [Formula: see text], but had higher hypoxia tolerance (lower O_2crit) than normoxic and hyperoxic counterparts. Interestingly, these differences were only apparent when the embryos were measured prior to hatching. Larvae (alevins) incubated in hypoxia following hatching grew similarly to normoxia-incubated alevins. Our results provide evidence that Atlantic salmon embryos are most sensitive to hypoxia prior to hatching, probably due to increasing (absolute) oxygen requirements concurrent with restricted oxygen diffusion through the egg. Moreover, the similarities between normoxia- and hyperoxia-incubated salmon demonstrate that embryos are not oxygen-limited under normoxic conditions.

Influence of Diltiazem on Fathead Minnows Across Dissolved Oxygen Gradients

Water resources in many arid to semi-arid regions are stressed by population growth and drought. Growing populations and climatic changes are influencing contaminant and water chemistry dynamics in urban inland waters, where flows can be dominated by, or even dependent on, wastewater effluent discharge. In these watersheds, interacting stressors such as dissolved oxygen and environmental contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals) have the potential to affect fish physiology and populations. Recent field observations from our group identified the calcium channel blocker (CCB) diltiazem in fish plasma exceeding human therapeutic doses (e.g., C_min ) in aquatic systems impaired because of nonattainment of dissolved oxygen water quality standards. Therefore our study objectives examined: 1) standard acute and chronic effects of dissolved oxygen and diltiazem to fish, 2) influences of dissolved oxygen at criteria levels deemed protective of aquatic life on diltiazem toxicity to fish, and 3) whether sublethal effects occur at diltiazem water concentrations predicted to cause a human therapeutic level (therapeutic hazard value [THV]) in fish plasma. Dissolved oxygen × diltiazem co-exposures significantly decreased survival at typical stream, lake, and reservoir water quality standards of 5.0 and 3.0 mg dissolved oxygen/L. Dissolved oxygen and diltiazem growth effects were observed at 2 times and 10 times lower than median lethal concentration (LC50) values (1.7 and 28.2 mg/L, respectively). Larval fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) swimming behavior following low dissolved oxygen and diltiazem exposure generally decreased and was significantly reduced in light-to-dark bursting distance traveled, number of movements, and duration at concentrations as low as the THV. Individual and population level consequences of such responses are not yet understood, particularly in older organisms or other species; however, these findings suggest that assessments with pharmaceuticals and other cardioactive contaminants may underestimate adverse outcomes in fish across dissolved oxygen levels considered protective of aquatic life. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2835-2850. © 2018 SETAC.

Tolerance traits related to climate change resilience are independent and polygenic

The resilience of organisms to climate change through adaptive evolution is dependent on the extent of genetically based variation in key phenotypic traits and the nature of genetic associations between them. For aquatic animals, upper thermal tolerance and hypoxia tolerance are likely to be a important determinants of sensitivity to climate change. To determine the genetic basis of these traits and to detect associations between them, we compared naturally occurring populations of two subspecies of Atlantic killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, that differ in both thermal and hypoxia tolerance. Multilocus association mapping demonstrated that 47 and 35 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) explained 43.4% and 51.9% of variation in thermal and hypoxia tolerance, respectively, suggesting that genetic mechanisms underlie a substantial proportion of variation in each trait. However, no explanatory SNPs were shared between traits, and upper thermal tolerance varied approximately linearly with latitude, whereas hypoxia tolerance exhibited a steep phenotypic break across the contact zone between the subspecies. These results suggest that upper thermal tolerance and hypoxia tolerance are neither phenotypically correlated nor genetically associated, and thus that rates of adaptive change in these traits can be independently fine-tuned by natural selection. This modularity of important traits can underpin the evolvability of organisms to complex future environmental change.

A Review of Molecular Responses of Catfish to Bacterial Diseases and Abiotic Stresses

Catfish is one of the major aquaculture species in the United States. However, the catfish industry is threatened by several bacterial diseases such as enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC), columnaris disease and Aeromonas disease, as well as by abiotic stresses such as high temperature and low oxygen. Research has been conducted for several decades to understand the host responses to these diseases and abiotic stresses. With the development of sequencing technologies, and the application of genome-wide association studies in aquaculture species, significant progress has been made. This review article summarizes recent progress in understanding the molecular responses of catfish after bacterial infection and stress challenges, and in understanding of genomic and genetic basis for disease resistance and stress tolerance.

Effects of hypoxia on swimming and sensing in a weakly electric fish

Low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) can severely limit fish performance, especially aerobically expensive behaviours including swimming and acquisition of sensory information. Fishes can reduce oxygen requirements by altering these behaviours under hypoxia, but the underlying mechanisms can be difficult to quantify. We used a weakly electric fish as a model system to explore potential effects of hypoxia on swim performance and sensory information acquisition, which enabled us to non-invasively record electric signalling activity used for active acquisition of sensory information during swimming. To quantify potential effects of hypoxia, we measured critical swim speed (U_crit) and concurrent electric signalling activity under high- and low-dissolved oxygen concentrations in a hypoxia-tolerant African mormyrid fish, Marcusenius victoriae Fish were maintained under normoxia for 6 months prior to experimental treatments, and then acclimated for 8 weeks to normoxia or hypoxia and tested under both conditions (acute: 4 h exposure). Acute hypoxia exposure resulted in a significant reduction in both U_crit and electric signalling activity in fish not acclimated to hypoxia. However, individuals acclimated to chronic hypoxia were characterized by a higher U_crit under both hypoxia and normoxia than fish acclimated to normoxia. Following a 6 month re-introduction to normoxia, hypoxia-acclimated individuals still showed increased performance under acute hypoxic test conditions, but not under normoxia. Our results highlight the detrimental effects of hypoxia on aerobic swim performance and sensory information acquisition, and the ability of fish to heighten aerobic performance through acclimation processes that can still influence performance even months after initial exposure.

Vascular parameters continue to decrease post-exposure with simultaneous, but not individual exposure to BPA and hypoxia in zebrafish larvae

How fish respond to hypoxia, a common stressor, can be altered by simultaneous exposure to pollutants like bisphenol A (BPA), a plasticizer. BPA is cardiotoxic and interferes with the hypoxia inducible factor pathway (HIF-1α), therefore disrupting the hypoxic response. Co-exposure to hypoxia and BPA also causes severe bradycardia and reduced cardiac output in zebrafish larvae. The purpose of this work was to determine how the cardiovascular effects of co-exposure vary with BPA concentration and persist beyond exposure. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 100 μg/L of BPA during normoxia (>6.0 mg/L O₂) and hypoxia (2.0 ± 0.5 mg/L O₂) between 1 h post fertilization (hpf) and late hatching (72-96 hpf). Heart rate, cardiac output, and red blood cell (RBC) velocity were determined through video microscopy and digital motion analysis at late hatching and 10 days post fertilization (dpf), several days post exposure. In comparison to the hypoxic control, RBC velocity was 25% lower with 0.01 μg/L BPA and hypoxia at late hatching. At 10 dpf, the difference in RBC velocity between these treatments doubled, despite several days of recovery. This coincided with a 24% thinner outer diameter for caudal vein but no effect on cardiac or developmental parameters. Statistical interactions between BPA and oxygen concentration were found for arterial RBC velocity at both ages. Because the co-occurrence of both stressors is extremely common, it would be beneficial to understand how BPA and hypoxia interact to affect cardiovascular function during and after exposure.

The effect of hypoxia on fish schooling

Low-oxygen areas are expanding in the oceans as a result of climate change. Work carried out during the past two decades suggests that, in addition to impairing basic physiological functions, hypoxia can also affect fish behaviour. Given that many fish species are known to school, and that schooling is advantageous for their survival, the effect of hypoxia on schooling behaviour may have important ecological consequences. Here, we review the effects of hypoxia on school structure and dynamics, together with the mechanisms that cause an increase in school volume and that ultimately lead to school disruption. Furthermore, the effect of hypoxia generates a number of trade-offs in terms of schooling positions and school structure. Field observations have found that large schools of fish can exacerbate hypoxic conditions, with potential consequences for school structure and size. Therefore, previous models that predict the maximum size attainable by fish schools in relation to oxygen levels are also reviewed. Finally, we suggest that studies on the effect of hypoxia on schooling need to be integrated with those on temperature and ocean acidifications within a framework aimed at increasing our ability to predict the effect of multiple stressors of climate change on fish behaviour.This article is part of the themed issue 'Physiological determinants of social behaviour in animals'.

Hypoxia, but not an electrolyte-imbalanced diet, reduces feed intake, growth and oxygen consumption in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Oxygen limitation and dietary imbalances are key aspects influencing feed intake (FI) and growth performance in cultured fish. This study investigated the combined effects of hypoxia and dietary electrolyte balance on the growth performance, body composition and nutrient utilization in a rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) isogenic line. Fish were fed ad libitum two experimental diets: electrolyte-balanced or -imbalanced diets (DEB 200 or 700 mEq kg⁻¹, respectively) and exposed to normoxia or hypoxia (7.9 or 4.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹, respectively) for 42 days. DEB did not affect FI, growth performance or body composition. Nevertheless, hypoxia had a negative impact, reducing FI (6%), growth rate (8%), oxygen consumption (19%), energy (5%) and lipid (42%) contents. Digestible energy intake and heat production were higher in normoxic fish (40% and 23%, respectively), retaining 64% more energy in lipid or protein. Hypoxia reduced the apparent digestibility of dry matter, ash, protein, lipid, carbohydrates and energy. Trout fed DEB 700 diet were energetically less efficient, reflected in higher heat production and energy requirements for maintenance. FI was inhibited by low dissolved oxygen levels, but not by electrolyte-imbalanced diet, in spite of the higher energy requirements for maintenance. This study highlights the importance that dietary-electrolyte content and DO levels have on energy balance and growth performance when fish are fed to satiation.

Declining oxygen in the global ocean and coastal waters

Oxygen is fundamental to life. Not only is it essential for the survival of individual animals, but it regulates global cycles of major nutrients and carbon. The oxygen content of the open ocean and coastal waters has been declining for at least the past half-century, largely because of human activities that have increased global temperatures and nutrients discharged to coastal waters. These changes have accelerated consumption of oxygen by microbial respiration, reduced solubility of oxygen in water, and reduced the rate of oxygen resupply from the atmosphere to the ocean interior, with a wide range of biological and ecological consequences. Further research is needed to understand and predict long-term, global- and regional-scale oxygen changes and their effects on marine and estuarine fisheries and ecosystems.

Ocean acidification does not limit squid metabolism via blood oxygen supply

Ocean acidification is hypothesized to limit the performance of squids due to their exceptional oxygen demand and pH-sensitivity of blood-oxygen binding, which may reduce oxygen supply in acidified waters. The critical oxygen partial pressure (Pcrit), the PO2 below which oxygen supply cannot match basal demand, is a commonly reported index of hypoxia tolerance. Any CO2-induced reduction in oxygen supply should be apparent as an increase in Pcrit. In this study, we assessed the effects of CO2 (46-143 Pa; 455-1410 μatm) on the metabolic rate and Pcrit of two squid species - Dosidicus gigas and Doryteuthis pealeii - through manipulative experiments. We also developed a model, with inputs for hemocyanin pH-sensitivity, blood PCO2, and buffering capacity that simulates blood oxygen supply under varying seawater CO2 partial pressures. We compare model outputs to measured Pcrit in squids. Using blood-O2 parameters from the literature for model inputs, we estimated that, in the absence of blood acid-base regulation, an increase in seawater PCO2 to 100 Pa (≈ 1000 μatm) would result in a maximum drop in arterial hemocyanin-O2 saturation by 1.6% at normoxia and a Pcrit increase of ≈0.5 kPa. Our live-animal experiments support this supposition, as CO2 had no effect on measured metabolic rate or Pcrit in either squid species.

Early life co-exposures to a real-world PAH mixture and hypoxia result in later life and next generation consequences in medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Acute effects of individual and complex mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are well documented in vertebrate species. Hypoxia in fish reduces metabolic rate and reproduction. However, less is known about the later life consequences stemming from early-life exposure to PAHs or hypoxia, particularly their co-exposure. To address this, medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos were exposed to a complex PAH mixture sediment extract from the Elizabeth River, VA (ERSE) at concentrations of 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0% or to one of three different hypoxia scenarios: continuous, nocturnal, or late stage embryogenesis hypoxia. Co-exposures with 0.1% ERSE and each of the hypoxia scenarios were conducted. Results included decreased survival with ERSE, hatching delays with hypoxia, and higher occurrences of deformities with each. The continuous hypoxia scenario caused the most significant changes in all endpoints. These early-life exposures altered later-life growth, impaired reproductive capacity, and reduced the quality of their offspring. ERSE alone resulted in a female-biased sex ratio while continuous or nocturnal hypoxia produced significantly greater numbers of males; and co-exposure produced an equal sex ratio. Exposure to a PAH mixture and hypoxia during early life stages has meaningful later-life and next generational consequences.

Hypoxia acclimation increases novelty response strength during fast-starts in the African mormyrid, Marcusenius victoriae

Many fishes perform quick and sudden swimming maneuvers known as fast-starts to escape when threatened. In pulse-type weakly electric fishes these responses are accompanied by transient increases in the rate of electric signal production known as novelty responses. While novelty responses may increase an individual's information about their surroundings, they are aerobically powered and may come at a high energetic cost when compared to fast-starts, which rely primarily on anaerobic muscle. The juxtaposition between two key aspects of fast-starts in these fishes - the aerobic novelty response and the anaerobic swimming performance - makes them an interesting model for studying effects of hypoxia on escape performance and sensory information acquisition. We acclimated the hypoxia-tolerant African mormyrid Marcusenius victoriae to either high or low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels for 8weeks, after which fast-starts and novelty responses were quantified under both high (normoxic) and low-DO (hypoxic) test conditions. Hypoxia-acclimated fish exhibited higher maximum curvature than normoxia-acclimated fish. Displacement of normoxia-acclimated fish was not reduced under acute hypoxic test conditions. Novelty responses were given upon each startle, whether or not the fish performed a fast-start; however, novelty responses associated with fast-starts were significantly stronger than those without, suggesting a functional link between fast-start initiation and the motor control of the novelty response. Overall, hypoxia-acclimated individuals produced significantly stronger novelty responses during fast-starts. We suggest that increased novelty response strength in hypoxia-acclimated fish corresponds to an increased rate of sensory sampling, which may compensate for potential negative effects of hypoxia on higher-level processing.

Acute hypoxic stress: Effect on blood parameters, antioxidant enzymes, and expression of HIF-1alpha and GLUT-1 genes in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Dissolved oxygen (DO) plays a crucial role in survival, growth, and normal physiological functions of aquatic organisms. Nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in hypoxic stress and adaptation have not been fully elucidated in Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). To reveal the effect of acute hypoxia on Largemouth bass, we simulated acute hypoxia (DO: 1.2 ± 0.2 mg/L) in the laboratory and analyzed physiological parameters (RBCs, Hb, SOD, CAT, NA⁺/K⁺-ATPase, GPx, and MDA) and gene expression (HIF-1alpha and GLUT-1) in Largemouth bass exposed to various durations of acute hypoxia (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h). Our results indicated that acute hypoxic exposure significantly increased RBCs but decreased Hb. In addition, antioxidant enzyme activity was enhanced significantly in the liver and muscles at the initial stage of acute hypoxic exposure, but decreased significantly in gills during the entire process of hypoxic exposure. Furthermore, the expression levels of HIF-1alpha and GLUT-1 mRNA were significantly up-regulated in Largemouth bass under acute hypoxic exposure. In conclusion, our study provides a valuable basis for further elucidation of hypoxic adaptation and facilitates husbandry for an economically valuable species.

Influence of euthanasia method on blood and gill variables in normoxic and hypoxic Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis

In many experiments, euthanasia, or humane killing, of animals is necessary. Some methods of euthanasia cause death through cessation of respiratory or cardiovascular systems, causing oxygen levels of blood and tissues to drop. For experiments where the goal is to measure the effects of environmental low oxygen (hypoxia), the choice of euthanasia technique, therefore, may confound the results. This study examined the effects of four euthanasia methods commonly used in fish biology (overdose of MS-222, overdose of clove oil, rapid cooling and blunt trauma to the head) on variables known to be altered during hypoxia (haematocrit, plasma cortisol, blood lactate and blood glucose) or reflecting gill damage (trypan blue exclusion) and energetic status (ATP, ADP and ATP:ADP) in Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis after 24 h exposure to well-aerated conditions (normoxia, 7·93 mg O₂  l^-1 , c. 150 mm Hg or c. 20 kPa) or reduced oxygen levels (0·86 mg O₂  l^-1 , c. 17 mm Hg or c. 2·2 kPa). Regardless of oxygen treatment, fish euthanized by an overdose of MS-222 had higher haematocrit and lower gill ATP:ADP than fish euthanized by other methods. The effects of 24 h hypoxic exposure on these and other variables, however, were equivalent among methods of euthanasia (i.e. there were no significant interactions between euthanasia method and oxygen treatment). The choice of an appropriate euthanasia method, therefore, will depend upon the magnitude of the treatment effects (e.g. hypoxia) relative to potential artefacts caused by euthanasia on the variables of interest.

Contrasting effects of hypoxia on copper toxicity during development in the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

Hypoxia is a global problem in aquatic systems and often co-occurs with pollutants. Despite this, little is known about the combined effects of these stressors on aquatic organisms. The objective of this study was to investigate the combined effects of hypoxia and copper, a toxic metal widespread in the aquatic environment. We used the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) as a model because of its environmental relevance and amenability for environmental toxicology studies. We focused on embryonic development as this is considered to be a sensitive life stage to environmental pollution. We first investigated the effects of hypoxia alone on stickleback development to generate the information required to design subsequent studies. Our data showed that exposure to low oxygen concentrations (24.7 ± 0.9% air saturation; AS) resulted in strong developmental delays and increased mortalities, whereas a small decrease in oxygen (75.0 ± 0.5%AS) resulted in premature hatching. Stickleback embryos were then exposed to a range of copper concentrations under hypoxia (56.1 ± 0.2%AS) or normoxia (97.6 ± 0.1%AS), continuously, from fertilisation to free swimming larvae. Hypoxia caused significant changes in copper toxicity throughout embryonic development. Prior to hatching, hypoxia suppressed the occurrence of mortalities, but after hatching hypoxia significantly increased copper toxicity. Interestingly, when exposures were conducted only after hatching, the onset of copper-induced mortalities was delayed under hypoxia compared to normoxia, but after 48 h, copper was more toxic to hatched embryos under hypoxia. This is the second species for which the protective effect of hypoxia on copper toxicity prior to hatching, followed by its exacerbating effect after hatching is demonstrated, suggesting the hypothesis that this pattern may be common for teleost species. Our research highlights the importance of considering the interactions between multiple stressors, as understanding these interactions is essential to facilitate the accurate prediction of the consequences of exposure to complex stressors in a rapidly changing environment.

Sequence and functional characterization of hypoxia-inducible factors, HIF1α, HIF2αa, and HIF3α, from the estuarine fish, Fundulus heteroclitus

The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) family of transcription factors plays central roles in the development, physiology, pathology, and environmental adaptation of animals. Because many aquatic habitats are characterized by episodes of low dissolved oxygen, fish represent ideal models to study the roles of HIF in the response to aquatic hypoxia. The estuarine fish Fundulus heteroclitus is found in habitats prone to hypoxia. It responds to low oxygen via behavioral, physiological, and molecular changes, and one member of the HIF family, HIF2α, has been previously described. Herein, cDNA sequencing, phylogenetic analyses, and genomic approaches were used to determine other members of the HIFα family from F. heteroclitus and their relationships to HIFα subunits from other vertebrates. In vitro and cellular approaches demonstrated that full-length forms of HIF1α, HIF2α, and HIF3α independently formed complexes with the β-subunit, aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator, to bind to hypoxia response elements and activate reporter gene expression. Quantitative PCR showed that HIFα mRNA abundance varied among organs of normoxic fish in an isoform-specific fashion. Analysis of the F. heteroclitus genome revealed a locus encoding a second HIF2α-HIF2αb-a predicted protein lacking oxygen sensing and transactivation domains. Finally, sequence analyses demonstrated polymorphism in the coding sequence of each F. heteroclitus HIFα subunit, suggesting that genetic variation in these transcription factors may play a role in the variation in hypoxia responses among individuals or populations.

Hypoxia alters testicular functions of marine medaka through microRNAs regulation

Hypoxia is a global environmental concern and poses a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems, including the sustainability of natural fish populations. The deleterious effects of hypoxia on fish reproductive fitness, as mediated by disruption of sex hormones and gene expression along the Brain-Pituitary-Gonad axis, have been well documented. Recently, we further demonstrated that the observed disruption of steroidogenesis in the ovary of marine medaka Oryzias melastigma is mediated through microRNAs (miRNAs). More importantly, we reported the transgenerational epigenetic effect of hypoxia on the male reproductive impairment of marine medaka. This study attempts to elucidate the function of miRNAs and its potential role in the transgenerational effect of hypoxia in the male medaka testis, using small RNA sequencing. A total of 558 miRNAs were found in the testis, of which 9 were significant upregulated and 5 were downregulated by hypoxia. Bioinformatics analysis further revealed that among the 2885 genes targeted by the hypoxia-responsive miRNAs, many are closely related to stress response, cell cycle, epigenetic modification, sugar metabolism and cell motion. Furthermore, the integrated analysis of transcriptome data and the result of target gene prediction demonstrated 108 genes and 65 genes were concordantly upregulated and downregulated, respectively. In which, euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2, the epigenetic regulator of transgenerational reproductive impairment caused by hypoxia, is found to be targeted by miR-125-5p. The present findings not only reveal that miRNAs are crucial downstream mediators of hypoxic stress in fish male gonad, but also shed light on the underlying epigenetic mechanism for the reproductive impairments of hypoxia on male fish, including the observed transgenerational effects.

Metabolic and regulatory responses involved in cold acclimation in Atlantic killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus

Ectotherms often respond to prolonged cold exposure by increasing mitochondrial capacity via elevated mitochondrial volume density [V _V(mit,f)]. In fish, higher V _V(mit,f) is typically associated with increased expression of nuclear respiratory factor 1 (Nrf1), a transcription factor that induces expression of nuclear-encoded respiratory genes. To examine if nrf1 expression or the expression of other genes that regulate mitochondrial biogenesis contribute to changes in whole-organism metabolic rate during cold acclimation, we examined the time course of changes in the expression of these genes and in metabolic rate in Atlantic killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus. Cold acclimation rapidly decreased metabolic rate, but increased the expression of nrf1 more gradually, with a time course that depended on how rapidly the fish were transitioned to low temperature. Cold-induced nrf1 expression was not associated with increases in biochemical indicators of mitochondrial respiratory capacity, suggesting that cold-induced mitochondrial biogenesis may occur without increases in oxidative capacity in this species. These observations imply that changes in nrf1 expression and metabolic rate due to cold acclimation occur through different physiological mechanisms, and that increases in V _V(mit,f) are likely not directly related to changes in metabolic rate with cold acclimation in this species. However, nrf1 expression differed between northern and southern killifish subspecies regardless of acclimation temperature, consistent with observed differences in metabolic rate and V _V(mit,f) at 5 °C between these subspecies. Taken together, these results reveal substantial complexity in the regulation of V _V(mit,f) and mitochondrial capacity with temperature in fish and the relationship of these parameters to metabolic rate.

Developmental plasticity of mitochondrial function in American alligators, Alligator mississippiensis

The effect of hypoxia on cellular metabolism is well documented in adult vertebrates, but information is entirely lacking for embryonic organisms. The effect of hypoxia on embryonic physiology is particularly interesting, as metabolic responses during development may have life-long consequences, due to developmental plasticity. To this end, we investigated the effects of chronic developmental hypoxia on cardiac mitochondrial function in embryonic and juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Alligator eggs were incubated in 21% or 10% oxygen from 20 to 90% of embryonic development. Embryos were either harvested at 90% development or allowed to hatch and then reared in 21% oxygen for 3 yr. Ventricular mitochondria were isolated from embryonic/juvenile alligator hearts. Mitochondrial respiration and enzymatic activities of electron transport chain complexes were measured with a microrespirometer and spectrophotometer, respectively. Developmental hypoxia induced growth restriction and increased relative heart mass, and this phenotype persisted into juvenile life. Embryonic mitochondrial function was not affected by developmental hypoxia, but at the juvenile life stage, animals from hypoxic incubations had lower levels of Leak respiration and higher respiratory control ratios, which is indicative of enhanced mitochondrial efficiency. Our results suggest developmental hypoxia can have life-long consequences for alligator morphology and metabolic function. Further investigations are necessary to reveal the adaptive significance of the enhanced mitochondrial efficiency in the hypoxic phenotype.

Fish Ecology and Evolution in the World's Oxygen Minimum Zones and Implications of Ocean Deoxygenation

Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) and oxygen limited zones (OLZs) are important oceanographic features in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean, and are characterized by hypoxic conditions that are physiologically challenging for demersal fish. Thickness, depth of the upper boundary, minimum oxygen levels, local temperatures, and diurnal, seasonal, and interannual oxycline variability differ regionally, with the thickest and shallowest OMZs occurring in the subtropics and tropics. Although most fish are not hypoxia-tolerant, at least 77 demersal fish species from 16 orders have evolved physiological, behavioural, and morphological adaptations that allow them to live under the severely hypoxic, hypercapnic, and at times sulphidic conditions found in OMZs. Tolerance to OMZ conditions has evolved multiple times in multiple groups with no single fish family or genus exploiting all OMZs globally. Severely hypoxic conditions in OMZs lead to decreased demersal fish diversity, but fish density trends are variable and dependent on region-specific thresholds. Some OMZ-adapted fish species are more hypoxia-tolerant than most megafaunal invertebrates and are present even when most invertebrates are excluded. Expansions and contractions of OMZs in the past have affected fish evolution and diversity. Current patterns of ocean warming are leading to ocean deoxygenation, causing the expansion and shoaling of OMZs, which is expected to decrease demersal fish diversity and alter trophic pathways on affected margins. Habitat compression is expected for hypoxia-intolerant species, causing increased susceptibility to overfishing for fisheries species. Demersal fisheries are likely to be negatively impacted overall by the expansion of OMZs in a warming world.

Metabolic capacities of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) following combined exposures to copper and environmental hypoxia

In aquatic ecosystems, a decline in water O2 level is the main factor that can release heavy metal ions from top sediment layer. Therefore, hypoxia in turn, and in association with heavy metals might provide undesirable environment and impairs physiological functions of aquatic animals. To address this, metabolic capacities, including standard metabolic rate (SMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), aerobic scope (AS) and factorial aerobic scope (FAS) of common carp were determined following exposures to different levels of water-borne Cu(2+) as well as hypoxia. Treatments for Cu(2+) were included: 100% (acute), 50% (sub-lethal) and 10% (chronic) of LC50-96h for immediately, 24h and 7 days exposures respectively. Hypoxia treatments were assigned as acute for immediately, sub-lethal for 24h and chronic for 7 days. Combined effects of treatments were also considered as acute Cu(2+)+hypoxia, sub-lethal Cu(2+)+hypoxia and chronic Cu(2+)+hypoxia. While SMR of carp was reduced by chronic hypoxia, significant (P<0.05) increase was observed during acute hypoxia, as compared with control. The MMR and AS were significantly reduced (P<0.05) following all hypoxia treatments. The acute and chronic Cu(2+) treatments showed significant (P<0.05) increases in SMR and MMR values. All acute and sub-lethal combined treatments showed significant (P<0.05) reductions in SMR, MMR and AS values, whilst chronic combined treatments showed generally increasing trends for MMR and AS. PCrit was relatively reduced following all treatments except for acute and sub-lethal Cu(2+)-treated fish that showed higher value (P<0.05) and no change respectively. Although all Cu(2+) treatments increased the number of mucus cell, hypoxia treatments did not show any remarkable differences when compared with control group. In general, the results of present study reveal that hypoxia acts as limiting stressor whilst Cu(2+) do act as loading stressors in the case of common carp metabolism. The interactive exposures mostly showing a synergist effect in all metabolic capacities with an exception for chronic treatments.

A new analysis of hypoxia tolerance in fishes using a database of critical oxygen level (P crit)

Hypoxia is a common occurrence in aquatic habitats, and it is becoming an increasingly frequent and widespread environmental perturbation, primarily as the result of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment and climate change. An in-depth understanding of the hypoxia tolerance of fishes, and how this varies among individuals and species, is required to make accurate predictions of future ecological impacts and to provide better information for conservation and fisheries management. The critical oxygen level (P crit) has been widely used as a quantifiable trait of hypoxia tolerance. It is defined as the oxygen level below which the animal can no longer maintain a stable rate of oxygen uptake (oxyregulate) and uptake becomes dependent on ambient oxygen availability (the animal transitions to oxyconforming). A comprehensive database of P crit values, comprising 331 measurements from 96 published studies, covering 151 fish species from 58 families, provides the most extensive and up-to-date analysis of hypoxia tolerance in teleosts. Methodologies for determining P crit are critically examined to evaluate its usefulness as an indicator of hypoxia tolerance in fishes. Various abiotic and biotic factors that interact with hypoxia are analysed for their effect on P crit, including temperature, CO2, acidification, toxic metals and feeding. Salinity, temperature, body mass and routine metabolic rate were strongly correlated with P crit; 20% of variation in the P crit data set was explained by these four variables. An important methodological issue not previously considered is the inconsistent increase in partial pressure of CO2 within a closed respirometer during the measurement of P crit. Modelling suggests that the final partial pressure of CO2 reached can vary from 650 to 3500 µatm depending on the ambient pH and salinity, with potentially major effects on blood acid-base balance and P crit itself. This database will form part of a widely accessible repository of physiological trait data that will serve as a resource to facilitate future studies of fish ecology, conservation and management.