Project 4
Biotransformation gene-environment interactions in salmon neurotoxicity

Funding from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund program is currently supporting our investigation of the mechanisms of chemical mediated neurobehavioral injury to salmon. These impacts can occur at extremely low exposure levels, and are linked to behaviors critical to survival such as homing, feeding, and predator-prey avoidance. These studies are largely at the biochemical and molecular level and focus on the role of oxidative and conjugative enzymes in susceptibility of Pacific salmon to neurotoxic metals and pesticides. We are trying to identify key proteins targets of neurotoxic compounds in the olfactory system of salmon, and are using genomics approaches to better understand chemical-chemical interactions in salmon neurotoxicity. The ultimate goal of this project is to better understand chemical-mediated environmental neurotoxicity that occurs in wild salmon. Practical applications of our work involve the development and field application of biochemical and molecular markers of neuropathic injury to salmon.

Recent publications:

Gallagher, E., LaVire, H., Stapleton, P., Bammler, T, Beyer, D., and F. Farin. 2008. Expression profiling of hepatic genes in smolting and adult coho salmon (Onchorhynchus kisutch). Environmental Research. 106(3):365-78.

Matsuo, A., Li, Q., Gallagher, E., Trute, M., Janssen, P. and D.R Schlenk. 2008. Characterization of liver phase I biotransformation enzymes in coho salmon. Comp Biochem. Physiol C. 147(1):78-84.

Trute, M., Gallus, B., Goodlett, D. and Gallagher, E.P. 2007. Glutathione S-transferase isozyme expression in coho salmon liver. Aquatic Toxicology.  81:126-136.

McIntyre, J., Baldwin, D.H., Meador, J.P., and Scholz, N.L. 2008. Chemosensory deprivation in juvenile coho salmon exposed to dissolved copper under varying water chemistry conditions. Environmental Science and Technology. 42(4):1352-8.

Rodriguez-Fuentes, G., Aparicio-Fabre, R., Li, Q., Schlenk, D. 2008. Osmotic regulation of Flavin-containing monooxygenases in primary cultured cells from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Drug Metab. Disp.  36(7):1212-7.