Na/HCO Cotransporter 1 (nbce1) Isoform Gene Expression During Smoltification and Seawater Acclimation of Atlantic Salmon

The life history of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) includes an initial freshwater phase (parr) that precedes a springtime migration to marine environments as smolts. The development of osmoregulatory systems that will ultimately support the survival of juveniles upon entry into marine habitats is a key aspect of smoltification. While the acquisition of seawater tolerance in all euryhaline species demands the concerted activity of specific ion pumps, transporters, and channels, the contributions of Na/HCO cotransporter 1 (Nbce1) to salinity acclimation remain unresolved. Here, we investigated the branchial and intestinal expression of three Na/HCO cotransporter 1 isoforms, denoted nbce1.1, -1.2a, and -1.2b. Given the proposed role of Nbce1 in supporting the absorption of environmental Na by ionocytes, we first hypothesized that expression of a branchial nbce1 transcript (nbce1.2a) would be attenuated in salmon undergoing smoltification and following seawater exposure. In two separate years, we observed spring increases in branchial Na/K-ATPase activity, Na/K/2Cl cotransporter 1, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator 1 expression characteristic of smoltification, whereas there were no attendant changes in nbce1.2a expression. Nonetheless, branchial nbce1.2a levels were reduced in parr and smolts within 2 days of seawater exposure. In the intestine, gene transcript abundance for nbce1.1 increased from spring to summer in the anterior intestine, but not in the posterior intestine or pyloric caeca, and nbce1.1 and -1.2b expression in the intestine showed season-dependent transcriptional regulation by seawater exposure. Collectively, our data indicate that tissue-specific modulation of all three nbce1 isoforms underlies adaptive responses to seawater.