Hormones, toxicants and fish metabolism

生物体已经进化出一套复杂的生化和生理机制来适应环境的变化。这些机制之间发生重要的相互作用，以确保系统在各种条件下的平衡和适当的功能。我的研究计划的长期目标是更好地理解动物生理和环境之间的相互作用，特别是当它涉及到代谢过程和自然（激素）和人工（人造，毒物和药物）化学物质对这些过程的影响。代谢在不同种群和物种之间存在显著差异，是环境变化的敏感指标。作为脊椎动物，硬骨鱼共享激素和复杂的信号系统，尽管在这一群体中具有特定的功能区别。由于鱼类与其水生环境密切接触，存在于各种水生环境中，具有不同的营养需求，并且代表了数量最多的脊椎动物物种，因此它们是研究这些动物与环境相互作用并测试这些环境对生物多样性影响的理想物种。在接下来的五年里，我的研究计划将研究三种互补的研究方法，以更好地定义代谢在动物与环境相互作用中的作用。具体来说，我们将研究1)肾上腺素受体的系统发育和功能，2)区分有毒物质对鱼类生产性能的中枢（大脑）和外周（组织）影响，以及3)定义细胞能量和营养传感器在暴露于特定营养和环境压力源的细胞内营养分配中的作用。研究生将采用综合方法评估整个动物和分子反应，以确定动物与环境之间相互作用的基础。所使用的代谢方法对于我们理解激素和毒物对鱼类功能的功能意义至关重要，同时最终有助于开发生态和生理可持续的水产养殖饲料。

Organisms have evolved a complex suite of biochemical and physiological mechanisms to adjust to changes in their environment. Significant interactions occur between these mechanisms to ensure system balance and appropriate function under a variety of conditions. The long-term objective of my research program is to better understand the interplay between animal physiology and environment especially as it relates to metabolic processes and the impact of natural (hormones) and artificial (man-made, toxicants and pharmaceuticals) chemicals on these processes. Metabolism differs significantly between groups and species and is a sensitive indicator of environmental change. As vertebrates, teleost fishes share the hormones and complex signaling systems present across species within this group although with specific functional distinctions. As fish are in intimate contact with their aquatic environment, are found in a variety of aquatic environments, have distinct nutrient requirements, and represent the largest number of vertebrate species they represent ideal species to examine these animal-environment interactions and to test the affects of these environments on biodiversity. Over the next five years, my research program will examine three complimentary research approaches to better define the role of metabolism in animal-environment interactions. Specifically we will examine 1) the phylogeny and function of adrenoceptors, 2) differentiate between a central (brain) and peripheral (tissue) impact of toxicants on fish performance, and 3) define the role of cellular energy and nutrient sensors in the partitioning of nutrients within cells exposed to specific nutrient and environmental stressors. Graduate students will employ an integrative approach assessing whole animal and molecular responses to define the bases for the interactions between animals and their environments. The metabolic approach used is crucial for our understanding of the functional significance of hormones and toxicants on fish function while ultimately assisting in the development of diets for aquaculture that are sustainable both ecologically and physiologically.