Version 2 2021-04-26, 23:29Version 2 2021-04-26, 23:29
Version 1 2018-04-24, 13:54Version 1 2018-04-24, 13:54
journal contribution
posted on 2021-04-26, 23:29authored byHelen C. Poynton, Simone Hasenbein, Joshua B. Benoit, Maria S. Sepulveda, Monica F. Poelchau, Daniel S. T. Hughes, Shwetha C. Murali, Shuai Chen, Karl M. Glastad, Michael A. D. Goodisman, John H. Werren, Joseph H. Vineis, Jennifer L. Bowen, Markus Friedrich, Jeffery Jones, Hugh M. Robertson, René Feyereisen, Alexandra Mechler-Hickson, Nicholas Mathers, Carol Eunmi Lee, John K. Colbourne, Adam Biales, J. Spencer Johnston, Gary A. Wellborn, Andrew J. Rosendale, Andrew G. Cridge, Monica C. Munoz-Torres, Peter A. Bain, Austin R. Manny, Kaley M. Major, Faith N. Lambert, Chris D. Vulpe, Padrig Tuck, Bonnie J. Blalock, Yu-Yu Lin, Mark E. Smith, Hugo Ochoa-Acuña, Mei-Ju May Chen, Christopher P. Childers, Jiaxin Qu, Shannon Dugan, Sandra L. Lee, Hsu Chao, Huyen Dinh, Yi Han, HarshaVardhan Doddapaneni, Kim C. Worley, Donna M. Muzny, Richard A. Gibbs, Stephen Richards
Hyalella azteca is a cryptic species complex of
epibenthic amphipods of interest to ecotoxicology and evolutionary
biology. It is the primary crustacean used in North America for sediment
toxicity testing and an emerging model for molecular ecotoxicology.
To provide molecular resources for sediment quality assessments and
evolutionary studies, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the genome
of the H. azteca U.S. Lab Strain. The genome quality
and completeness is comparable with other ecotoxicological model species.
Through targeted investigation and use of gene expression data sets
of H. azteca exposed to pesticides, metals, and other
emerging contaminants, we annotated and characterized the major gene
families involved in sequestration, detoxification, oxidative stress,
and toxicant response. Our results revealed gene loss related to light
sensing, but a large expansion in chemoreceptors, likely underlying
sensory shifts necessary in their low light habitats. Gene family
expansions were also noted for cytochrome P450 genes, cuticle proteins,
ion transporters, and include recent gene duplications in the metal
sequestration protein, metallothionein. Mapping of differentially
expressed transcripts to the genome significantly increased the ability
to functionally annotate toxicant responsive genes. The H.
azteca genome will greatly facilitate development of genomic
tools for environmental assessments and promote an understanding of
how evolution shapes toxicological pathways with implications for
environmental and human health.