A review of the toxicology of oil in vertebrates : what we have learned following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

This research was made possible by a grant from The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. This publication is UMCES contribution No. 6045 and Ref. No. [UMCES] CBL 2022-008. This is National Marine Mammal Foundation Contribution #314 to peer-reviewed scientific literature.In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, a number of government agencies, academic institutions, consultants, and nonprofit organizations conducted lab- and field-based research to understand the toxic effects of the oil. Lab testing was performed with a variety of fish, birds, turtles, and vertebrate cell lines (as well as invertebrates); field biologists conducted observations on fish, birds, turtles, and marine mammals; and epidemiologists carried out observational studies in humans. Eight years after the spill, scientists and resource managers held a workshop to summarize the similarities and differences in the effects of DWH oil on vertebrate taxa and to identify remaining gaps in our understanding of oil toxicity in wildlife and humans, building upon the cross-taxonomic synthesis initiated during the Natural Resource Damage Assessment. Across the studies, consistency was found in the types of toxic response observed in the different organisms. Impairment of stress responses and adrenal gland function, cardiotoxicity, immune system dysfunction, disruption of blood cells and their function, effects on locomotion, and oxidative damage were observed across taxa. This consistency suggests conservation in the mechanisms of action and disease pathogenesis. From a toxicological perspective, a logical progression of impacts was noted: from molecular and cellular effects that manifest as organ dysfunction, to systemic effects that compromise fitness, growth, reproductive potential, and survival. From a clinical perspective, adverse health effects from DWH oil spill exposure formed a suite of signs/symptomatic responses that at the highest doses/concentrations resulted in multi-organ system failure.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A Health Evaluation of Gulf of Mexico Golden Tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

A lack of baseline heath indices for offshore Gulf of Mexico (GoM) teleosts complicated impact assessments of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. While measurement of contaminant levels in fish after a pollution event can document exposure, such data fail to provide meaningful information about how this contact affects an animal\u27s physiology. Controlled exposure studies have highlighted the utility of biomarkers that may indicate deleterious, long-lasting effects of pollutant exposure on various life stages of fish, however, their extrapolation to wild-caught, non-model species is challenging. In an increasingly chemically-saturated environment, it can also be difficult to separate the influence of chronic background contamination from that of a significant acute event, like an oil spill. This dissertation assessed the health of Golden Tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) caught throughout the GoM in 2015-2017, using both biomarkers of oxidative stress and immune response, and transcriptomics. Samples were collected several years after the DWH event, therefore, this study investigated putative lasting effects of exposure on benthic and reef-associated fishes. In Chapter II, the first known reference intervals for oxidative stress and immune system biomarkers were created for Golden Tilefish (n = 255) and Red Snapper (n = 125) from the GoM, consistent with guidelines of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology. This included intervals for: malondialdehyde, sorbitol dehydrogenase, sum erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities, superoxide dismutase, hematocrit, leukocrit, lysozyme, and differential white blood cell counts. Species differences were observed, indicating higher levels of genotoxicity and antioxidant response in Golden Tilefish than in Red Snapper, throughout the GoM. Chapters III and IV compared the relationships between biomarker response and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure in Golden Tilefish and Red Snapper, respectively. Fish included in this study were selected only when a sufficient number of specimens (n ≥ 3) were caught at each sampling station, and sampling stations were grouped into defined geographic zones. Temporal variation in biomarker response at north central GoM stations (where the DWH event occurred) sampled in both 2015 and 2017 was also evaluated. Results reported in chapter III indicated differential biomarker patterns in Golden Tilefish collected from the north central GoM compared to those from other regions and evidence was observed for a possible compensatory metabolic shift due to chronic PAH contamination. Chapter IV revealed limited negative health effects from background PAH exposure on Red Snapper in the northern GoM, however, possible maternal offloading of PAHs was noted in fish from the north central GoM, which may have influenced observed biomarker response. In chapter V, next generation RNA sequencing was utilized to determine whether geographically grouped populations of Golden Tilefish (n = 15) had signatures of differential gene expression, and if these differences may be attributed to PAH exposure. The first de novo assembly of the Golden Tilefish transcriptome was performed, and differential gene expression was compared in female fish caught from the De Soto Canyon, Campeche Bay, and the Yucatan Peninsula. Patterns of differential expression were observed between groups. Fish collected within the De Soto Canyon, likely exposed to DWH oil, displayed an altered metabolic response, activated pathways of cellular debris clearance, and down-regulation of reproductive genes compared to the other regions. These results support the compensatory metabolic shift hypothesis in fish with ongoing exposure to PAHs in the region. Golden Tilefish sampled from the oil fields of Campeche Bay, Mexico, displayed possible immunosuppression and reduced protective mechanisms, despite evidence of oxidative-stress-induced damage, which may indicate an acute response to contaminant exposure. Fish collected offshore the Yucatan Peninsula had more similar patterns of gene expression to fish from the De Soto Canyon than those from Campeche Bay, possibly as a result of significant variation in Campeche Bay specimens. The transcriptome suggest further exploration of pathways involved with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, oxidative stress and clearance of cellular damage, and reproduction may be useful for PAH-related work in wild-caught teleosts. Furthermore, this study demonstrated the utility of pooling individuals from field sites to yield targets for data exploration. This work adds significantly to an understanding of the health of non-model, offshore teleosts in the GoM. While variation in biomarker response was observed throughout dispersed regions of the GoM, likely in relation to the varying stressors and contaminants dominating each system, both Red Snapper and Golden Tilefish appear resilient. Despite possible acclimation to adverse conditions, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continued to impart sublethal effects on Golden Tilefish through 2017. The long-term effects of putative reproductive suppression and metabolic shifts in these organisms warrant further monitoring and analysis

Cloning and Characterization of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, and TNFα from Golden Tilefish (\u3cem\u3eLopholatilus chamaeleonticeps\u3c/em\u3e) and Red Snapper (\u3cem\u3eLutjanus campechanus\u3c/em\u3e)

Cytokines are pleiotropic and redundant signaling molecules that govern the inflammatory response and immunity, a critical ecological parameter for organism success and population growth. Produced at the site of injury or pathogen intrusion by a variety of cell types, cytokines mediate cell-signaling in either an autocrine or paracrine manner. The type and magnitude of the cytokine milieu produced subsequently dictates the strength and form of immune response. As the most diverse vertebrate group, with a high sensitivity to contaminants, fish represent an important foci for the evaluation of immune system evolution, function, and alteration upon toxicant exposure. While many cytokines have been identified in teleosts, primary study has been limited to model species (e.g. zebrafish and fugu). However, evidence exists for several variations of cytokine genes within taxa, underscoring the need for species-specific evaluation. In this study, two pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNFα ), one chemokine (IL-8), and one anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) were cloned, sequenced, and characterized for the first time in two commercially relevant Perciformes in the Gulf of Mexico, golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus). The complete amino acid sequence was obtained and confirmed for IL-β and IL-8 from golden tilefish and for IL-8, IL-10, and TNFα from red snapper, with partial sequences obtained for the remaining proteins. The results indicate high homology among Perciformes for all cytokines studied, but divergence with other teleost orders, and low conservation when compared to birds, amphibians, and mammals. The sequences will be used to create a multi-plexed antibody-based assay for the routine detection of cytokines in teleost serum. This would allow the biochemical response to fish health challenges, such as oil spills and other contamination events, to be monitored at the protein level, building upon the current regime of genetic biomarkers. Thus, this work will aid in the understanding of how oil spills and other contamination events may alter the immune response in fishes

Transcriptomics of female golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) collected aboard multiple R/V Weatherbird II cruises in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-15 to 2016-09-09

This dataset contains transcriptomics of female golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) collected from the Gulf of Mexico aboard R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603 and WB-1701 from 2015-08-15 to 2016-09-09. Transcriptome analysis was performed in fifteen female (by macroscopic gonad evaluation) golden tilefish livers collected during 2015-2016 C-IMAGE demersal longline cruises in the Gulf of Mexico. These fish were caught at three stations, including one impacted by the Deepwater Horizon spill in the northern Gulf, one within the Campeche Bay oil fields, and one offshore the Yucatan peninsula, with no surrounding oil extraction activity. Differential gene expression between stations was evaluated after de novo transcriptome assembly from raw RNAseq reads. The dataset contains the location and date of sample collection. It also includes a description of fish such as health code, sex, standard length, fork length, total length, total weight, liver weight, gastrointestinal tract weight, and gonad weight. The cruise documentation was provided for R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB 1602, WB1603 and WB 1701, led by chief scientists Dr. Steven Murawski and David Hollander. This dataset supports the publication: Pulster, E. L., Gracia, A., Snyder, S. M., Deak, K., Fogelson, S., & Murawski, S. A. (2019). Chronic Sub-lethal Effects Observed in Wild-Caught Fishes Following Two Major Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico: Deepwater Horizon and Ixtoc 1. Deep Oil Spills, 388–413. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_2

Oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and immune response biomarkers measured in golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) collected aboard multiple R/V Weatherbird II cruises in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-17 to 2017-07-29

This dataset contains oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and immune response biomarkers measured in golden tilefish collected aboard the R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603, WB-1701 and WB-1736 in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-17 to 2017-07-29. The dataset contains the location, date and depth of sample collection. In addition it includes the fish species, fish biometric data (such as weight, sex, liver weight, gonad weight, fork and total length) and concentrations or percentages of biomarkers that indicate oxidative stress (plasma superoxide dismutase, plasma sorbitol dehydrogenase, plasma malondialdehyde), immune response (hematocrit and leukocrit percentages, differential white blood cell counts in whole blood, and plasma lysozyme), and genotoxicity (whole blood micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities). The cruise documentation was provided for the R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603, WB-1701 and WB-1736, led by chief scientists Dr. Steven Murawski and Dr. David Hollander. This dataset supports the publication: Pulster, E. L., Gracia, A., Snyder, S. M., Deak, K., Fogelson, S., & Murawski, S. A. (2019). Chronic Sub-lethal Effects Observed in Wild-Caught Fishes Following Two Major Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico: Deepwater Horizon and Ixtoc 1. Deep Oil Spills, 388–413. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_2

Transcriptomics of female golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) collected aboard multiple R/V Weatherbird II cruises in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-15 to 2016-09-09

This dataset contains transcriptomics of female golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) collected from the Gulf of Mexico aboard R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603 and WB-1701 from 2015-08-15 to 2016-09-09. Transcriptome analysis was performed in fifteen female (by macroscopic gonad evaluation) golden tilefish livers collected during 2015-2016 C-IMAGE demersal longline cruises in the Gulf of Mexico. These fish were caught at three stations, including one impacted by the Deepwater Horizon spill in the northern Gulf, one within the Campeche Bay oil fields, and one offshore the Yucatan peninsula, with no surrounding oil extraction activity. Differential gene expression between stations was evaluated after de novo transcriptome assembly from raw RNAseq reads. The dataset contains the location and date of sample collection. It also includes a description of fish such as health code, sex, standard length, fork length, total length, total weight, liver weight, gastrointestinal tract weight, and gonad weight. The cruise documentation was provided for R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB 1602, WB1603 and WB 1701, led by chief scientists Dr. Steven Murawski and David Hollander. This dataset supports the publication: Pulster, E. L., Gracia, A., Snyder, S. M., Deak, K., Fogelson, S., & Murawski, S. A. (2019). Chronic Sub-lethal Effects Observed in Wild-Caught Fishes Following Two Major Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico: Deepwater Horizon and Ixtoc 1. Deep Oil Spills, 388–413. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_2

Oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and immune response biomarkers measured in red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) collected aboard multiple R/V Weatherbird II cruises in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-20 to 2017-07-30

This dataset contains oxidative stress, genotoxicity and immune response biomarkers measured in red snappers collected aboard the R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603, WB-1701 and WB-1736 in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-20 to 2017-07-30. The dataset contains the location, date and depth of sample collection. In addition it includes the fish species, fish biometric data (such as weight, sex, liver weight, gonad weight, fork and total length) and concentrations or percentages of biomarkers that indicate oxidative stress (plasma superoxide dismutase, plasma sorbitol dehydrogenase, plasma malondialdehyde), immune response (hematocrit and leukocrit percentages, differential white blood cell counts in whole blood, and plasma lysozyme), and genotoxicity (whole blood micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities). The cruise documentation was provided for the R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603, WB-1701 and WB-1736, led by chief scientists Dr. Steven Murawski and Dr. David Hollander. This dataset supports the publication: Pulster, E. L., Gracia, A., Snyder, S. M., Deak, K., Fogelson, S., & Murawski, S. A. (2019). Chronic Sub-lethal Effects Observed in Wild-Caught Fishes Following Two Major Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico: Deepwater Horizon and Ixtoc 1. Deep Oil Spills, 388–413. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_2

Oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and immune response biomarkers measured in red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) collected aboard multiple R/V Weatherbird II cruises in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-20 to 2017-07-30

This dataset contains oxidative stress, genotoxicity and immune response biomarkers measured in red snappers collected aboard the R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603, WB-1701 and WB-1736 in the Gulf of Mexico from 2015-08-20 to 2017-07-30. The dataset contains the location, date and depth of sample collection. In addition it includes the fish species, fish biometric data (such as weight, sex, liver weight, gonad weight, fork and total length) and concentrations or percentages of biomarkers that indicate oxidative stress (plasma superoxide dismutase, plasma sorbitol dehydrogenase, plasma malondialdehyde), immune response (hematocrit and leukocrit percentages, differential white blood cell counts in whole blood, and plasma lysozyme), and genotoxicity (whole blood micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities). The cruise documentation was provided for the R/V Weatherbird II cruises WB-1602, WB-1603, WB-1701 and WB-1736, led by chief scientists Dr. Steven Murawski and Dr. David Hollander. This dataset supports the publication: Pulster, E. L., Gracia, A., Snyder, S. M., Deak, K., Fogelson, S., & Murawski, S. A. (2019). Chronic Sub-lethal Effects Observed in Wild-Caught Fishes Following Two Major Oil Spills in the Gulf of Mexico: Deepwater Horizon and Ixtoc 1. Deep Oil Spills, 388–413. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11605-7_2

The Influence of Fermenting Yeast on the Sensory Properties of Graševina Wine

Recent research has showed a breakthrough in investigating the effect of non-Saccharomyces yeast on wine quality and sensory properties. The aim of this study was to compare the influence of conventional yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, vs. that of the non-Saccharomyces Torulaspora delbrueckii on the sensory profile of the white wine Graševina, and to establish if there are any differences in physical–chemical properties in regards to the applied yeast. Sample One was inoculated with both yeasts, while Sample Two was inoculated only with S. cerevisiae. The results indicated that a combination of T. delbrueckii and S. cerevisiae resulted in somewhat higher ethanol content in the finished wine. Sensory evaluation showed no significant discrepancies for any of the wines. Aspect and flavor were graded similarly, but the quality and intensity of the bouquet of Sample One was graded somewhat higher (14 and 6.6) than Sample Two (13.6 and 6.4). These findings open a very wide gate for future research in white wines