Protein expression profiles in Bathymodiolus azoricus exposed to cadmium

Proteomic changes in the "gill-bacteria complex" of the hydrothermal vent mussel B. azoricus exposed to cadmium in pressurized chambers ((Incubateurs Pressurises pour l'Observation en Culture d'Animaux Marins Profonds - IPOCAMP) were analyzed and compared with the non-exposed control group. 2-D Fluorescence Difference Gel Electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) showed that less than 1.5% of the proteome of mussels and symbiotic bacteria were affected by a short-term (24 h) Cd exposure. Twelve proteins of the more abundant differentially expressed proteins of which six were up-regulated and six were down-regulated were excised, digested and identified by mass spectrometry. The identified proteins included structural proteins (actin/actin like proteins), metabolic proteins (calreticulin/calnexin, peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase, aminotransferase class-III, electron transfer flavoprotein, proteasome, alpha-subunit and carbonic anhydrase) and stress response proteins (chaperone protein htpG, selenium-binding protein and glutathione transferases). All differently expressed proteins are tightly connected to Cd exposure and are affected by oxidative stress. It was also demonstrated that B. azoricus was well adapted to Cd contamination therefore B. azoricus from hydrothermal vent areas may be considered a good bioindicator.