A sense of place: pink salmon use a magnetic map for orientation.

The use of 'map-like' information from the Earth's magnetic field for orientation has been shown in diverse taxa, but questions remain regarding the function of such maps. We used a 'magnetic displacement' experiment to demonstrate that juvenile pink salmon () use magnetic cues to orient. The experiment was designed to simultaneously explore whether their magnetic map is used to direct fish (i) homeward, (ii) toward the center of their broad oceanic range or (iii) along their oceanic migratory route.

Elevated CO impairs olfactory-mediated neural and behavioral responses and gene expression in ocean-phase coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

Elevated concentrations of CO in seawater can disrupt numerous sensory systems in marine fish. This is of particular concern for Pacific salmon because they rely on olfaction during all aspects of their life including during their homing migrations from the ocean back to their natal streams. We investigated the effects of elevated seawater CO on coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) olfactory-mediated behavior, neural signaling, and gene expression within the peripheral and central olfactory system.

From the Cover: Cadmium Exposure Differentially Alters Odorant-Driven Behaviors and Expression of Olfactory Receptors in Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

Salmon exposed to waterborne metals can experience olfactory impairment leading to disrupted chemosensation. In the current study, we investigated the effects of cadmium (Cd) on salmon olfactory function by modeling an exposure scenario where juvenile salmon transiently migrate through a polluted waterway. Coho were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of waterborne Cd (2 and 30 µg/L) for 48 h and (0.

Olfactory Transcriptional Analysis of Salmon Exposed to Mixtures of Chlorpyrifos and Malathion Reveal Novel Molecular Pathways of Neurobehavioral Injury.

Pacific salmon exposed to sublethal concentrations of organophosphate pesticides (OP) have impaired olfactory function that can lead to loss of behaviors that are essential for survival. These exposures often involve mixtures and can occur at levels below those which inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In this study, juvenile Coho salmon were exposed for 24 h to either 0.

Effects of cadmium on olfactory mediated behaviors and molecular biomarkers in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

The olfactory system of salmonids is sensitive to the adverse effects of metals such as copper and cadmium. In the current study, we analyzed olfactory-mediated alarm responses, epithelial injury and recovery, and a suite of olfactory molecular biomarkers encoding genes critical in maintaining olfactory function in juvenile coho salmon receiving acute exposures to cadmium (Cd). The molecular biomarkers analyzed included four G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) representing the two major classes of odorant receptors (salmon olfactory receptor sorb and vomeronasal receptors svra, svrb, and gpr27), as well as markers of neurite outgrowth (nrn1) and antioxidant responses to metals, including heme oxygenase 1 (hmox1), and peroxiredoxin 1 (prdx1).

Effect of cadmium on glutathione S-transferase and metallothionein gene expression in coho salmon liver, gill and olfactory tissues.

The glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a multifunctional family of phase II enzymes that detoxify a variety of environmental chemicals, reactive intermediates, and secondary products of oxidative damage. GST mRNA expression and catalytic activity have been used as biomarkers of exposure to environmental chemicals. However, factors such as species differences in induction, partial analyses of multiple GST isoforms, and lack of understanding of fish GST gene regulation, have confounded the use of GSTs as markers of pollutant exposure.

Protein thiol oxidation in murine airway epithelial cells in response to naphthalene or diethyl maleate.

Naphthalene (NA) is a semivolatile aromatic hydrocarbon to which humans are exposed from a variety of sources. NA results in acute cytotoxicity to respiratory epithelium in rodents. Cytochrome P450-dependent metabolic activation to form reactive intermediates and loss of soluble cellular thiols (glutathione) are critical steps in NA toxicity, but the precise mechanisms by which this chemical results in cellular injury remain unclear.