Exposure to polycyclic aromatic carbons (PAHs) poses a growing risk to coral reefs due to increasing shipping and petroleum extraction in tropical waters. Damaging effects of specific PAHs can be further enhanced by the presence of ultraviolet radiation, known as phototoxicity. We tested phototoxic effects of the PAHs anthracene and phenanthrene on larvae of the scleractinian coral Acropora tenuis in the presence and absence of UVA (320–400 nm). Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme was reduced by anthracene while phenanthrene and UVA exposure did not have any effect. Gene expression of MnSod remained constant across all treatments. The genes Catalase, Hsp70 and Hsp90 showed increased expression levels in larvae exposed to anthracene, but not phenanthrene. Gene expression of p53 was upregulated in the presence of UVA, but downregulated when exposed to PAHs. The influence on stress-related biochemical pathways and gene expresson in A. tenuis larvae was considerably greater for anthracene than phenanthrene, and UVA-induced phototoxicity was only evident for anthracene. The combined effects of UVA and PAH exposure on larval survival and metamorphosis paralleled the sub-lethal stress responses, clearly highlighting the interaction of UVA on anthracene toxicity and ultimately the coral’s development.

由于增加了热带水域的运输和石油开采，暴露于多环芳族碳（PAHs）对珊瑚礁构成了越来越大的风险。特定的PAH的破坏作用可以通过紫外线辐射的存在而进一步增强，这称为光毒性。在存在和不存在UVA（320-400 nm）的情况下，我们测试了PAHs蒽和菲对巩膜珊瑚Acropora tenuis幼虫的光毒性作用。蒽降低了超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）的活性，而菲和UVA的暴露则没有任何作用。在所有处理中，MnSod的基因表达均保持恒定。过氧化氢酶，Hsp70和Hsp90基因在暴露于蒽的幼虫中显示出增加的表达水平，但未暴露于菲中。在存在UVA的情况下，p53的基因表达上调，但在暴露于PAHs时则下调。蒽对A. tenuis幼虫的应激相关生化途径和基因表达的影响要比菲大得多，而UVA诱导的光毒性仅对蒽是明显的。UVA和PAH暴露对幼虫存活和变态的综合影响与亚致死性应激反应平行，清楚地突出了UVA与蒽毒性和最终珊瑚发育的相互作用。