PUBLICATION

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 mediates adaptive developmental plasticity of hypoxia tolerance in zebrafish, Danio rerio

Authors
Robertson, C.E., Wright, P.A., Köblitz, L., Bernier, N.J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-140523-1
Date
2014
Source
Proceedings. Biological sciences   281(1786): 882-98 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 cellular pathway, developmental plasticity, hypoxia tolerance, sex ratio bias, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Anaerobiosis*
  • Animals
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/physiology
  • Female
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1/genetics*
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1/metabolism
  • Larva/genetics
  • Larva/growth & development
  • Larva/physiology
  • Male
  • Oxygen/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/growth & development
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
PubMed
24850928 Full text @ Proc. Biol. Sci.
Abstract
In recent years, natural and anthropogenic factors have increased aquatic hypoxia the world over. In most organisms, the cellular response to hypoxia is mediated by the master regulator hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). HIF-1 also plays a critical role in the normal development of the cardiovascular system of vertebrates. We tested the hypothesis that hypoxia exposures which resulted in HIF-1 induction during embryogenesis would be associated with enhanced hypoxia tolerance in subsequent developmental stages. We exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos to just 4 h of severe hypoxia or total anoxia at 18, 24 and 36 h post-fertilization (hpf). Of these, exposure to hypoxia at 24 and 36 hpf as well as anoxia at 36 hpf activated the HIF-1 cellular pathway. Zebrafish embryos that acutely upregulated the HIF-1 pathway had an increased hypoxia tolerance as larvae. The critical window for hypoxia sensitivity and HIF-1 signalling was 24 hpf. Adult male fish had a lower critical oxygen tension (Pcrit) compared with females. Early induction of HIF-1 correlated directly with an increased proportion of males in the population. We conclude that mounting a HIF-1 response during embryogenesis is associated with long-term impacts on the phenotype of later stages which could influence both individual hypoxia tolerance and population dynamics.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping