title: Reproductive consequences of paternal genotoxin exposure in marine invertebrates.
abstract: Chemicals with the potential to damage DNA are increasingly present in the marine environment; yet our understanding of the long-term consequences of DNA damage for populations remains limited. We explore the impact of paternal genotoxin exposure on the reproductive biology of two ecologically important free-spawning marine invertebrates: the polychaete Arenicola marina and the mussel Mytilus edulis. Males were exposed in vivo for 72 h to methyl methanesulfonate and benzo(a)pyrene and the impact on somatic cells and sperm assessed using the Comet assay. A strong correlation between DNA damage in somatic cells and sperm was observed after 24 h exposure (P < 0.001). Recovery in sperm was significantly lower than in coelomocytes after 72 h. The fertilization success of DNA-damaged sperm was unaffected, but a significant percentage of embryos derived from sperm with induced DNA damage exhibited severe developmental abnormalities within 24 h of fertilization with potential long-term consequences for population success. Further research is required to determine the mechanism by which paternal DNA damage causes disruption of development at this early stage.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Hatherley Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, UK. c.n.lewis@exeter.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ceri
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Galloway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020552:Comet Assay; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008386:Marine Biology; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D049880:Mytilus edulis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018812:Paternal Exposure; D011077:Polychaeta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical