title: Differential gene expression in Iberian green frogs (Pelophylax perezi) inhabiting a deactivated uranium mine.
abstract: Iberian green frogs (Pelophylax perezi) were found inhabiting a deactivated uranium mine, especially an effluent pond, seriously contaminated with metals and radionuclides. These animals were previously assessed for oxidative stress parameters and did not revealed significant alterations. In order to better understand which mechanisms may be involved in the ability to withstand permanent contamination gene expression analysis was performed in the liver, through suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). The SSH outcome in the liver revealed the up-regulation of genes coding for the ribosomal protein L7a and for several proteins typical from blood plasma: fibrinogen, hemoglobin and albumin. Besides their normal function, some of these proteins can play an important role as protective agents against oxidative stress. This work provides new insights on possible basal protection mechanisms that may act in organisms exposed chronically to contamination.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia da & CESAM-Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. s.reis.marques@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sérgio M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals / Q000633:toxicity; D008906:Mining; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics; D063188:Rana clamitans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014501:Uranium / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D008670:Metals; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D014501:Uranium