5DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CDNA ARRAYS FOR EVALUATING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION IN FISH

A variety of anthropogenic compounds are able to interact with the endocrine system of vertebrate species, by binding to steroid hormone receptors and altering normal gene expression patterns (Nimrod and Benson 1996). We are developing molecular-based approaches to measure the induction of gene expression in sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) exposed to estradiol or to hormonally active agents in the environment (Denslow et al., 2001a, 2001b). Sheepshead minnows (SHM) are fractional spawners inhabiting saline estuarine environments while largemouth bass (LMB) predominantly reside in fresh water and are synchronized annual spawners. Each model presents advantages for understanding the impacts of environmental contaminants. 6For SHM we have characterized 30 genes, which are either regulated or constitutively expressed after treatment with known estrogenic substances (Larkin et al., 2002a). Using a cDNA macroarray containing these genes, we observed a similar genetic profile with 17α-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethynyl estradio