Date of Award
2-28-2025
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.Sc.
Department
Biological Sciences
Supervisor
Daniel Heath
Supervisor
M. Shrimpton
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Osmoregulatory stress plays a pivotal role in the survival and physiological performance of salmonids, both in aquaculture and conservation contexts. This thesis investigates the transcriptional responses of salmonid fishes to osmoregulatory challenges using advanced molecular profiling tools. The first study describes the development of a 28-gene TaqmanTM qPCR-based Osmoregulatory Stress Transcriptional Profiling (OSTP) chip designed for the OpenArray® platform. This chip enables high-throughput analysis of gene expression linked to osmoregulation, stress response, immune function, and growth/metabolism. Evaluations across eight salmonid species and a 24-hour saltwater challenge with Chinook salmon confirmed the chip’s utility in detecting tissue- and species-specific molecular signatures of osmoregulatory stress. The second study focuses on Chinook salmon subjected to controlled freshwater (FW) and saltwater (SW) transitions to examine transcriptional patterns during osmoregulatory challenges. Using the OSTP chip, distinct temporal and tissue-specific gene expression changes were identified, with FW-SW transitions primarily upregulating osmoregulatory and stress-related genes in gill tissues. Conversely, SW-FW transitions exhibited upregulated transcriptional activity for growth and metabolic genes in liver tissues, reflecting increased physiological demands. Species-level transcriptional variations highlight the adaptive strategies employed by salmonids under fluctuating environmental conditions. These findings advance the understanding of osmoregulatory mechanisms in salmonids and offer practical applications for improving aquaculture practices and conservation strategies. By integrating transcriptional profiling with targeted management interventions, this research provides a framework for optimizing fish health and performance under diverse environmental scenarios.
Recommended Citation
Tugui, Nicolas, "Transcriptional profiling of the osmoregulatory stress response in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 9694.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/9694
