TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bulut, Burak
A1  - Rigano, Lorenzo
A1  - Doria, Halina Binde
A1  - Gemüth, Gajana
A1  - Pfenninger, Markus
T1  - A multigenerational study can detect the evolutionary response to BaP exposure in the non-biting freshwater midge Chironomus riparius
T2  - Chemosphere
N2  - Highlights
• BaP exposure increases the mutation rate of C. riparius.
• BaP exposure is detrimental for the fitness and the population dynamics of C. riparius.
• Multi-generational studies are essential to assess evolutionary implications of anthropogenic substances on biodiversity.
Abstract
The release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the environment is posing a threat to ecosystems and human health. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is considered a biomarker of PAH exposure and is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. However, it was not known whether BaP is mutagenic, i.e. induces inherited germline mutations. In this study, we used a recently established method, which combines short-term mutation accumulation lines (MAL) with whole genome sequencing (WGS) to assess mutagenicity in the non-biting midge Chironomus riparius. The mutagenicity analysis was supplemented by an evaluation of the development of population fitness in three successive generations in the case of chronic exposure to BaP at a high concentration (100 μg/L). In addition, the level of ROS-induced oxidative stress was examined in vivo. Exposure to the higher BaP concentration led to an increase in germline mutations relative to the control, while the lower concentration showed no mentionable effect. Against expectations, BaP exposure decreased ROS-level compared to the control and is thus probably not responsible for the increased mutation rate. Likewise, the higher BaP concentration decreased fitness measured as population growth rate per day (PGR) significantly over all generations, without signs of rapid evolutionary adaptations. Our results thus highlighted that high BaP exposure may influence the evolutionary trajectory of organisms.
KW  - Multigeneration life-cycle test
KW  - Reactive oxygen species
KW  - Evolutionary ecotoxicology
KW  - Oxidative stress
Y1  - 2024
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/85627
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-856272
SN  - 0045-6535
VL  - 358
IS  - art. 142242
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  -