Accidental oil spills significantly threaten marine ecosystems and fisheries, impacting biodiversity and ecological health. This study examines the downstream transcriptomic responses of Atlantic halibut larvae exposed to crude oil during organogenesis. Findings show concentration-dependent transcriptional abnormalities. Pathway analysis at 10 days post-hatch (dph), 11 days after cessation of oil exposure, indicates downregulation of inflammatory and reparative pathways. By 18 dph, tissue-specific analyses reveal activation of these pathways, especially in head tissues, alongside upregulation of neuronal signaling pathways. This highlights the complex relationship between oil exposure and transcriptional responses, emphasizing recovery mechanisms represented by regulation of inflammatory, repair and wound healing pathways following oil exposure. The activation of repair pathways in surviving larvae suggests compensatory processes to address oil-induced damage. These novel insights enhance understanding of the molecular mechanisms of oil toxicity and the lasting effects on marine organisms.

Keywords: Atlantic halibut; Crude oil exposure; Downstream effects; Organogenesis; Pathway analysis; Transcriptomics.

Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

意外的石油泄漏会对海洋生态系统和渔业造成严重影响，威胁生物多样性和生态健康。本研究考察了在器官发生期间暴露于原油后大西洋 halibut（大西洋黑线鳕）幼虫下游转录组响应的变化。结果表明存在浓度依赖性的转录异常。在孵化后10天（dph），即停止接触石油后的第11天，通路分析显示炎症和修复途径下调。到孵化后18天（dph），组织特异性分析揭示这些途径的激活，尤其是在头部组织中，并且神经信号传导途径上调。这强调了石油暴露与转录反应之间的复杂关系，突出了在接触石油后的恢复机制由炎症、修复和伤口愈合通路调控所代表的过程。存活幼虫中的修复途径激活表明存在补偿过程以应对石油引起的损害。这些新见解增强了对石油毒性的分子机制以及其对海洋生物的持久影响的理解。

关键词：大西洋黑线鳕；原油暴露；下游效应；器官发生；通路分析；转录组学。

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