title: Transcriptional profiling of the soil invertebrate Folsomia candida in pentachlorophenol-contaminated soil.
abstract: Pentachlorophenol (PCP), a widely used pesticide, is considered to be an endocrine disruptor. The molecular effects of chemicals with endocrine-disrupting potential on soil invertebrates are largely unknown. In the present study, the authors explored the transcriptional expression changes of collembola (Folsomia candida) in response to PCP contamination. A total of 92 genes were significantly differentially expressed at all exposure times, and the majority of them were found to be downregulated. In addition to the transcripts encoding cytochrome P450s and transferase enzymes, chitin-binding protein was also identified in the list of common differentially expressed genes. Analyses of gene ontology annotation and enrichment revealed that cell cycle-related transcripts were significantly induced by PCP, indicating that PCP can stimulate cell proliferation in springtail, as has been reported in human breast cancer cells. Enrichment of functional terms related to steroid receptors was observed, particularly in 20 significant differentially expressed genes involved in chitin metabolism in response to PCP exposure. Combined with confirmation by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, the results indicate that the adverse effects on reproduction of springtails after exposure to PCP can be attributed to a chemical-induced delay in the molting cycle and that molting-associated genes may serve as possible biomarkers for assessing toxicological effects.
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Peng
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|College of Resources and Environment, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China.
authors.forename: Cai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roelofs
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Ecology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nico M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: van Straalen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Guan
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018978:Molting / Q000187:drug effects; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D010575:Pesticides; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D010416:Pentachlorophenol
keywords: Endocrine disruptor; Folsomia candida; Molting; Pentachlorophenol