Date Awarded
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Biology
Advisor
John P Swaddle
Committee Member
Helen Murphy
Committee Member
Daniel Cristol
Abstract
The organic, methylated form of mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), is a highly toxic global pollutant that affects humans, wildlife, and ecosystem health. While exposure to high dosages of MeHg is often fatal, much less is known about the physiological effects of exposure to lower, sub-lethal dosages. Further understanding of how MeHg exposure alters organ performance at a cellular level is critical to understanding the health effects on both humans and wildlife impacted by environmental contamination. To assess the impact of MeHg on eukaryotic organisms, we tested how lifetime, dietary exposure impacts telomere length shortening in various tissues of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) at four early ages post-hatch. Telomere length is a recently popularized biomarker of biological aging and individual quality, influenced by both genetics and the environment. We used real time PCR to measure relative telomere length (T/S ratio) of brain, liver, kidney, heart, and red blood cells and explored interactions between ages and dietary treatment. We predicted that birds exposed to an environmentally relevant level of Hg would have reduced telomere lengths than compared to controls due to increased oxidative stress and subsequent cellular damage. Rather, in all tissues and virtually all ages, Hg exposed birds had longer telomere lengths, suggesting alterations in telomere maintenance pathways, inhibited cellular proliferation, and/or MeHg-induced rapid selection.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.21220/s2-85xz-2870
Rights
© The Author
Recommended Citation
Davis, Rachel Leigh, "Effects Of Dietary Methylmercury Exposure On Tissue-Specific Telomere Dynamics In The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata)" (2020). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. William & Mary. Paper 1593091499.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21220/s2-85xz-2870
