Glutathione transferase (GST) as a candidate molecular-based biomarker for soil toxin exposure in the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus.
The earthworm Lumbricus rubellus (Hoffmeister, 1843) is a terrestrial pollution sentinel. Enzyme activity and transcription of phase II detoxification superfamily glutathione transferases (GST) is known to respond in earthworms after soil toxin exposure, suggesting GST as a candidate molecular-based pollution biomarker. This study combined sub-proteomics, bioinformatics and biochemical assay to characterise the L. rubellus GST complement as pre-requisite to initialise assessment of the applicability of GST as a biomarker. L. rubellus possesses a range of GSTs related to known classes, with evidence of tissue-specific synthesis. Two affinity-purified GSTs dominating GST protein synthesis (Sigma and Pi class) were cloned, expressed and characterised for enzyme activity with various substrates. Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) following SDS-PAGE were superior in retaining subunit stability relative to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). This study provides greater understanding of Phase II detoxification GST superfamily status of an important environmental pollution sentinel organism.
Institute of Biological, Environmental, and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, UK. james.la-course@liverpool.ac.uk
E James
EJ
LaCourse
Mariluz
M
Hernandez-Viadel
James R
JR
Jefferies
Claus
C
Svendsen
David J
DJ
Spurgeon
John
J
Barrett
A John
AJ
Morgan
Peter
P
Kille
Peter M
PM
Brophy
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D050217:Metabolic Detoxication, Phase II; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*
D015415:Biomarkers; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D005982:Glutathione Transferase