Exposure to Contaminated River Water is Associated with Early Hatching and Dysregulation of Gene Expression in Early Life Stages of the Endangered Copper Redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi)

The copper redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi) is an endangered fish that spawns exclusively in the Richelieu River (Quebec, Canada). Tributaries of the Richelieu are contaminated with high levels of current-use pesticides, which may impact early-life stage (ELS) copper redhorse and other native fishes. We assessed the effects of exposure to contaminated river water on ELS copper redhorse and river redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum), a related fish that shares the copper redhorse's spawning grounds and nursery habitat. A riverside flow-through system was used to expose copper and river redhorse embryos (1000 each) to Richelieu River water or laboratory water as a control. Fish were maintained until 14 days posthatch, and water samples were taken daily for chemical analysis. Following a heavy rain event, concentrations of two neonicotinoid pesticides, clothianidin and thiamethoxam, exceeded water quality guidelines for aquatic life (20 ng/L). Using nontargeted screening, we tentatively identified an additional 24 pharmaceutical and personal care products and 23 pesticides in river water. Effects of river water on ELS fish were observed in both species, but the copper redhorse appeared to be more sensitive. Fish exposed to river water hatched 10.7 (copper redhorse) and 2.4 (river redhorse) cumulative degree days earlier than controls. Copper redhorse survival was significantly lower in river water (73 +/- 16%) compared to laboratory water (93 +/- 3%), whereas river redhorse survival was similar between treatments (84 +/- 6% and 89 +/- 4%, respectively). Sequencing of copper redhorse larvae RNA revealed 18 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following 14 days of exposure to river water. Eight up-regulated DEGs were linked to immune function and injury response, and seven down-regulated DEGs were involved with digestion and nutrient absorption. The present study provided valuable data on the effects of ELS exposure to a real-world mixture of contaminants in two fish species of concern. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;00:1-17. (c) 2022 SETAC