title: Carbonic anhydrase as pollution biomarker: an ancient enzyme with a new use.
abstract: The measurement of cellular and sub-cellular responses to chemical contaminants (referred to as biomarkers) in living organisms represents a recent tool in environmental monitoring. The review focuses on carbonic anhydrase, a ubiquitous metalloenzyme which plays key roles in a wide variety of physiological processes involving CO(2) and HCO(3)(-). In the last decade a number of studies have demonstrated the sensitivity of this enzyme to pollutants such as heavy metals and organic chemicals in both humans and wildlife. The review analyses these studies and discusses the potentiality of this enzyme as novel biomarker in environmental monitoring and assessment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (Di.S.Te.B.A.), University of Salento, Via prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Lecce 73100, Italy. giulia.lionetto@unisalento.it
authors.forename: Maria Giulia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lionetto
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caricato
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erroi
authors.forename: Trifone
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schettino
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases