An integrative omics approach to unravel toxicity mechanisms of environmental chemicals: effects of a formulated herbicide

Abstract

The use of integrative molecular approaches can aid in a comprehensive understanding of the effects of toxicants at different levels of biological organization, also supporting risk assessment. The present study aims to unravel the toxicity mechanisms of a widely used herbicide to the arthropod Folsomia candida exposed in a natural soil, by linking effects on reproduction, proteomics and genome-wide gene expression. The EC50 effects on reproduction over 4 weeks was 4.63 mg glyphosate/kg of soil. The formulation included a polyethoxylated tallowamine as an adjuvant, which at 50% effect on reproduction had an estimated concentration of 0.87–1.49 mg/kg of soil. No effects were observed on survival and reproduction when using the isolated active substance, pointing the toxicity of the formulated product to the co-formulant instead of the active ingredient, glyphosate. RNA sequencing and shotgun proteomics were applied to assess differential transcript and protein expressions between exposed and control organisms in time, respectively. Specific functional categories at protein and transcriptome levels were concordant with each other, despite overall limited correlations between datasets. The exposure to this formulation affected normal cellular respiration and lipid metabolism, inducing oxidative stress and leading to impairment in biological life cycle mechanisms such as molting and reproduction.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids cause cell cycle and DNA damage repair defects as analyzed by transcriptomics in cytochrome P450 3A4-overexpressing HepG2 clone 9 cells

“…Cell biological changes of even the smallest traces of toxic substances can thus be proven. The "-omics" technologies are therefore basic methods for the new discipline of systemic toxicology (Canzler et al 2020;Simões et al 2018).…”

Glyphosate, but not its metabolite AMPA, alters the honeybee gut microbiota

“…Despite its low toxicity to arthropods, glyphosate residues may have sublethal effects and affect their fitness [14–18]. In the honeybee, glyphosate or Roundup formulation can induce an increase in lipid peroxidation, a decrease in β-carotene and derived antioxidants, and a reduction in acetylcholine esterase activity [13,19–21].…”

Commercial glyphosate-based herbicides effects on springtails (Collembola) differ from those of their respective active ingredients and vary with soil organic matter content

“…Therefore, environmental risk assessments (ERAs) for pesticides mainly consider nontarget effects of AIs only. However, meanwhile, evidence is mounting for several glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) that commercial formulations differ in their nontarget effects from AIs alone (Mesnage and Antoniou 2018;Mesnage et al 2015;Mullin et al 2016;Myers et al 2016; Responsible editor: Kitae Baek Pereira et al 2009;Simões et al 2018;Székács and Darvas 2018). Several studies report adverse effects of either GBH or AIs on soil organisms and processes (Gill et al 2018;Lins et al 2007;Santadino et al 2014;Zaller et al 2018;Zaller et al 2014).…”

“…An increased surface activity of Collembola was also found in microcosms with seeds dressed with neonicotinoid insecticides and triazole, strobilurin and other fungicides (Zaller et al 2016). To the best of our knowledge, only one study investigated the effects of GBH (product Montana, containing 30.8% glyphosate isopropylammonium salt) vs. the respective AI on the Collembola F. candida (Simões et al 2018). There, reproduction was significantly reduced after GBH treatment but unaffected after treatment with the respective AI.…”