Integrative study of the neurotoxic effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol on Kryptolebias marmoratus: from molecule to behavioral alterations

Details

Supervisors

Silvestre Frédéric

Faculty

Faculté des sciences

Degree label

Master [120] en biologie des organismes et écologie, à finalité approfondie

Abstract

Environmental contamination by endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) and rising temperatures driven by climate change represents major and interacting source of stressors for aquatic organisms. Among EDCs, the synthetic estrogen 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) long-term neurobehavioral and transgenerational consequences remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to link phenotypic outcomes (morphological and behavioral endpoints) to molecular mechanisms (rapid adaptive responses) after transgenerational exposure to environmentally relevant EE2 in the self-fertilizing mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus. To assess this objective, individuals from the parental generation (F0) were chronically exposed to EE2 (4ng/L), while subsequent generations (F1 and F2) developed in clean conditions. To further explore the ecological relevance of transgenerational exposure, we added thermal challenge to assess whether initial EE2 exposure modulates responses to a secondary environmental stressor.