Expression and activity of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis

The research presented in this dissertation provides, for the first time, a description of biotransformation, detoxification and endobiotic biomarkers of coral health on the cellular and molecular level, using the coral Pocillopora damicornis as the model. The presence of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (Chapter 2) as well as the integrated presence of a suite of steroidogenic, steroid clearance and steroid regeneration enzymes from cholesterol to androgens and estrogens (Chapter 3) were determined. Additionally, the characterization of normal intra- and inter- colony variations in enzyme expression and activities over the monthly lunar reproductive cycle of the coral were determined so that they can be used to assess whether disruption of enzymes is of sufficient magnitude to alter normal processes. Coupled together, these descriptions provide a general baseline of coral health at the molecular level. Finally, chronic exposure of corals to a sublethal, environmentally relevant concentration of the known endocrine disruptor 4-nonylphenol (4NP) demonstrated the applicability of applying these enzymes as biomarkers for monitoring changes in coral health (Chapter 4). Overall, these data presented have substantial value to the field of coral biology and coral reef health, as well as environmental monitoring and remediation.