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Differential gene expression in anthracene-exposed mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus)
Janis S K Peterson1, Lisa J Bain
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968, USA.
Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|June 1, 2004
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure in estuarine fish can be identified by specific gene expression changes. Researchers found three genes (CYP2N2, 15C1, 18C2) that serve as reliable biomarkers for anthracene toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Toxicology
- Molecular Biology
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), like anthracene, are prevalent in estuarine systems.
- Current understanding of anthracene's sublethal toxicity mechanisms is limited.
- Gene expression profiling offers a potential method to elucidate toxicity pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a gene expression fingerprint for anthracene exposure in estuarine fish.
- To identify specific genes that can serve as biomarkers for PAH exposure and effects.
- To compare laboratory findings with gene expression patterns in fish from a PAH-impacted site.
Main Methods:
- Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) were exposed to environmentally relevant anthracene concentrations (0–80 µg/l) for 7 days.
- Differential display reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (DD RT-PCR) was employed to identify differentially expressed genes in liver tissue.
- Macroarrays were constructed from identified cDNA fragments and probed with RNA from exposed fish and field-collected fish.
Main Results:
- Three genes, CYP2N2, and two expressed sequence tags (ESTs) 15C1 and 18C2, were identified as reliable indicators of anthracene exposure in laboratory tests.
- Gene expression alterations were observed in fish from a PAH-impacted site, with CYP2N2 and 15C1 showing significant upregulation.
- Trends in gene induction for trypsin precursor and fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) in field-caught fish mirrored those in laboratory-exposed fish.
Conclusions:
- Specific genes, including CYP2N2, 15C1, and 18C2, can serve as effective biomarkers for anthracene exposure in estuarine fish.
- Gene expression analysis provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of PAH toxicity.
- This approach aids in assessing environmental contamination and its biological impacts.