FISH RESISTANCE!!

Mechanistic Basis of Resistance to PCBs in Atlantic Tomcod from the Hudson River
Isaac Wirgin1,*, Nirmal K. Roy1, Matthew Loftus1, R. Christopher Chambers2, Diana G. Franks3, and Mark E. Hahn3

Abstract

The mechanistic basis of resistance of vertebrate populations to contaminants, including Atlantic tomcod from the Hudson River (HR) to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), is unknown. HR tomcod exhibited variants in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (AHR2) that were nearly absent elsewhere. In ligand-binding assays, AHR2-1 protein (common in the HR) was impaired as compared to widespread AHR2-2 in binding TCDD (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) and in driving expression in reporter gene assays in AHR-deficient cells treated with TCDD or PCB126. We identified a six-base deletion in AHR2 as the basis of resistance and suggest that the HR population has undergone rapid evolution, probably due to contaminant exposure. This mechanistic basis of resistance in a vertebrate population provides evidence of evolutionary change due to selective pressure at a single locus.

Science 11 March 2011: Vol. 331 no. 6022 pp. 1322-1325 


Why?

 This paper says that it will show rapid evolution of a higher order organism and that the evolution seen is in response to human actions! It is one of my major interests to do research in how organisms are evolving to fit into our human world. I wonder what the flavor impact of this resistance will be when the fish is prepared. I also wonder, more for the science fiction value, if new organs will develop in the far future to deal with the vast human pollution. I doubt it ever will, but the idea fascinates me!