Differential gene expression in aggregates inhabiting an environment historically impacted by copper mining. De novo transcriptome of the freshwater fish Hyphessobrycon luetkenii

Copper (Cu) mining in the Minas do Camaquã (southern Brazil) lasted for more than a century. As a result, there was a great environmental release of metals, especially copper. Consequently, aquatic species inhabiting the mining impacted area were exposed over several generations. Therefore, they can be used as models to understand how metal contamination affects genetic regulation and adaptive processes in aquatic species. In the present study, differential gene expression (DGE) was evaluated in liver of the freshwater fish Hyphessobrycon luetkenii inhabiting non-mining impacted and mining impacted sites of the João Dias creek, a watercourse that crosses the old mining area. Data on H. luetkenii inhabiting the non-mining impacted (control: CC fish) and mining impacted (polluted: PP fish) sites of the João Dias creek were compared, thus aiming to identify levels of divergence associated with changes in the natural habitat.