title: Temperature: a prolonged confounding factor on cholinesterase activity in the tropical reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus.
abstract: Cholinesterase activity usually decreases in fish exposed to anticholinesterase compounds such as organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. Here we show that tropical reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus (or spiny damsel) also exhibits a decrease in ChE activity when exposed to elevated temperature from 28°C to 32°C or 34°C after 4 days. We further demonstrate that the decline persists even after 7 days of recovery at control temperature. This is the first report of a drop in ChE activity in fish as temperature increases. Our results strongly suggest the need for long-term monitoring of water temperature in the field prior to sampling A. polyacanthus for toxicology studies, as temperature is a prolonged and confounding factor for ChE activity in this species.
authors.affiliation: School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. e.botte@aims.gov.au
authors.forename: Emmanuelle S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Botté
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith-Keune
authors.forename: Dean R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jerry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology; D010473:Perciformes / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000592:standards; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D002802:Cholinesterases
keywords: Acanthochromis polyacanthus; Cholinesterase; Confounding factor; Coral reef; Temperature; Tropical fish