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Transgenerational adaptation to ocean acidification determines the susceptibility of filter-feeding rotifers to nanoplastics
Summary
Researchers tested whether rotifers, tiny filter-feeding marine animals, that had adapted to ocean acidification over 180 generations became more or less vulnerable to nanoplastic exposure. They found that long-term adaptation to acidified water actually increased the rotifers' susceptibility to nanoplastic toxicity, affecting their reproduction and survival. The study suggests that as oceans become more acidic, marine organisms may become less resilient to additional stressors like plastic pollution.
The adaptation of marine organisms to the impending challenges presented by ocean acidification (OA) is essential for their future survival, and mechanisms underlying OA adaptation have been reported in several marine organisms. In the natural environment, however, marine organisms are often exposed to a combination of environmental stressors, and the interactions between adaptive responses have yet to be elucidated. Here, we investigated the susceptibility of filter-feeding rotifers to short-term (ST) and long-term (LT) (≥180 generations) high CO conditions coupled with nanoplastic (NPs) exposure (ST+ and LT+). Adaptation of rotifers to elevated CO caused differences in ingestion and accumulation of NPs, resulting in a significantly different mode of action on in vivo endpoints between the ST+ and LT+ groups. Moreover, microRNA-mediated epigenetic regulation was strongly correlated with the varied adaptive responses between the ST+ and LT+ groups, revealing novel regulatory targets and pathways. Our results indicate that pre-exposure history to increased CO levels is an important factor in the susceptibility of rotifers to NPs.