Multi-generational study of crude oil embryotoxicity in developing embryos of Fundulus grandis

It has been shown that biological impacts of environmental toxicants can persist across generations. Oil spills are of ecotoxicological concern, because they occur frequently, impact large geographic areas, affect diverse species, and may occur in sensitive habitats. Much research has sought to reveal impacts of oil exposure on development and physiology, including the underlying molecular mechanisms. In contrast, relatively little is known of how toxicity could persist across multiple generations. We characterized the developmental and intergenerational impacts of crude oil exposure in Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis). We exposed adult killifish to weathered crude oil and control conditions. We then tested whether offspring from exposed parents had altered gene expression and sensitivity to oil toxicity during development. We found that parental oil exposure affected temporal patterns of developmental gene expression. These data provide new insight into the mechanisms of crude oil toxicity that affect multiple generations.