A DNA expression array to detect toxic stress response in European flounder (Platichthys flesus)

As a first stage in developing a DNA array-based approach to investigating the effects of pollutants on an environmentally relevant European fish species, we have constructed a 160-gene custom microarray for European flounder. Degenerate primers were used to amplify 110 different fragments of stress-related and other genes from European flounder cDNA and genomic DNA. Additionally, 22 fragments were obtained by suppressive subtractive hybridisation (SSH). These fragments were cloned and sequenced, then, with additional control genes, used to create a cDNA microarray for flounder. After optimisation of the arraying process, hepatic mRNA was isolated from flounder caught in the polluted Tyne and relatively unpolluted Alde estuaries. Fluorescent cDNA probes were synthesised from the mRNA and used in dual-colour hybridisations to the microarray. A number of transcripts were differentially expressed between Tyne and Alde female flounder but these changes were not significant, due to high inter-individual variation. However, in comparisons between Tyne and Alde male flounder, 11 transcripts were found to significantly differ in expression (P<0.05). Seven transcripts were more highly expressed in the Tyne male fish (CYP1A, UDPGT, alpha-2HS-glycoprotein, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, Cu/Zn SOD, aldehyde dehydrogenase and paraoxonase). Four transcripts (Elongation factor 1 (EF1), EF2, Int-6 and complement component C3) were found to be significantly less abundant in the Tyne male fish. Selected genes were assayed by real-time PCR, then normalised to alpha-tubulin. These assays confirmed the significance of the array results for CYP1A, UDPGT and EF1, but not for Cu/Zn SOD. This study provides a link between traditional single-gene biomarker studies and the emerging field of eco-toxicogenomics, demonstrating the utility of microarray studies on environmentally sampled, non-model organisms.