With the increasing release of environmental pollutants into aquatic ecosystems, concerns over their impact on aquatic animal health have intensified. Pollutants such as pesticides, heavy metals, microplastics, and pharmaceuticals can disrupt physiological homeostasis, compromise immune functions, and lead to severe pathological outcomes in aquatic organisms. Recent studies highlight the critical role of gut microbiota in modulating host responses to environmental stressors, acting as both a mediator and a potential biomarker of pollutant-induced toxicity. The gut microbiome can influence metabolic functions, immune defenses, and even neurological responses, shaping the overall resilience or susceptibility of aquatic animals to pollution-induced stress. However, the mechanistic links between pollutant exposure, gut microbial alterations, and host health remain largely unexplored.

This Research Topic aims to provide a comprehensive platform for cutting-edge research on how gut microbiota mediates the physiological and pathological effects of pollutant exposure in aquatic animals. We seek to highlight novel toxicological mechanisms, advanced analytical techniques, and key microbial-host interactions that influence health outcomes in polluted environments.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and methodological advances that focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- Microbiome-mediated toxicology: How pollutants alter gut microbial composition and functions, and how these changes affect host physiology.
- Host-microbe interactions in pollutant-induced stress responses: The role of gut microbiota in modulating immune responses, oxidative stress, inflammation, and neurotoxicity in aquatic organisms.
- Omics-based approaches: The application of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics to decipher microbiome-host interactions under pollutant exposure.
- Mechanistic insights into microbiome-host interactions: Novel insights into microbial metabolic pathways, microbial-host crosstalk, and the role of gut bacteria in detoxification or pollutant bioaccumulation.
- Ecological and evolutionary perspectives: How chronic pollutant exposure drives microbial community shifts and affects host adaptability in changing aquatic environments.
- Bioremediation and intervention strategies: The potential of probiotic applications, dietary interventions, and microbiome engineering in mitigating pollution-induced health effects in aquatic animals.
By assembling contributions from diverse research disciplines, this Research Topic will enhance our understanding of the intricate relationships between environmental pollution, gut microbiota, and aquatic animal health, paving the way for novel mitigation strategies and risk assessment frameworks.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

The Role of Gut Microbiota in Mediating the Physiological and Pathological Effects of Pollutant Exposure in Aquatic Animals

Topic Coordinator