We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic fiber-induced transgenerational epigenetic disruption impairs fitness in Daphnia magna
Summary
Researchers investigated the multi-generational effects of microplastic fiber exposure on the water flea Daphnia magna across three generations. They found that microplastic fibers negatively affected reproduction and survival, and these effects persisted into unexposed generations through epigenetic changes. The study reveals that microplastic pollution may cause lasting harm to aquatic populations through inherited biological alterations, not just direct exposure.
Microplastic fibers (MPFs) are the most prevalent type of microplastics in freshwater environments. However, although the effects of plastic pollution on various aquatic species have been extensively studied, the underlying mechanisms of the intergenerational effects of MPFs on aquatic organisms remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the multi- and transgenerational toxicity of MPFs in Daphnia magna over three generations. Our findings revealed that MPFs exposure negatively affects reproduction and molting frequency across generations. Notably, the transgenerational groups exhibited reproductive impairments and reduced molting frequency in the F1 and F2 generations (F1T and F2T), despite never being directly exposed to MPFs. Furthermore, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing revealed that these transgenerational adverse effects are associated with differential DNA methylation patterns in specific genes, suggesting that MPFs may threaten Daphnia populations through epigenetic modifications. Collectively, our findings provide valuable insights into the intergenerational toxicity of MPFs and the underlying molecular mechanisms driving these responses.