title: Adsorbable organic bromine compounds (AOBr) in aquatic samples: a nematode-based toxicogenomic assessment of the exposure hazard.
abstract: Elevated levels of adsorbable organic bromine compounds (AOBr) have been detected in German lakes, and cyanobacteria like Microcystis, which are known for the synthesis of microcystins, are one of the main producers of natural organobromines. However, very little is known about how environmental realistic concentrations of organobromines impact invertebrates. Here, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was exposed to AOBr-containing surface water samples and to a Microcystis aeruginosa-enriched batch culture (MC-BA) and compared to single organobromines and microcystin-LR exposures. Stimulatory effects were observed in certain life trait variables, which were particularly pronounced in nematodes exposed to MC-BA. A whole genome DNA-microarray revealed that MC-BA led to the differential expression of more than 2000 genes, many of which are known to be involved in metabolic, neurologic, and morphologic processes. Moreover, the upregulation of cyp- and the downregulation of abu-genes suggested the presence of chronic stress. However, the nematodes were not marked by negative phenotypic responses. The observed difference in MC-BA and microcystin-LR (which impacted lifespan, growth, and reproduction) exposed nematodes was hypothesized to be likely due to other compounds within the batch culture. Most likely, the exposure to low concentrations of organobromines appears to buffer the effects of toxic substances, like microcystin-LR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Freshwater and Stress Ecology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Späthstr. 80/81, 12437, Berlin, Germany. nadines1976@aol.com.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saul
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Analytical and Environmental Sciences Division, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Stürzenbaum
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Freshwater and Stress Ecology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Späthstr. 80/81, 12437, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Shumon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakrabarti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Freshwater and Stress Ecology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Späthstr. 80/81, 12437, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baberschke
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Freshwater and Stress Ecology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Späthstr. 80/81, 12437, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Thora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lieke
authors.affiliation: Chair of Water Quality Control, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Putschew
authors.affiliation: Chair of Water Quality Control, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kochan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Freshwater and Stress Ecology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Späthstr. 80/81, 12437, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Menzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Freshwater and Stress Ecology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Späthstr. 80/81, 12437, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian E W
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Steinberg
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008387:Marine Toxins; D052998:Microcystins / Q000494:pharmacology; D046931:Microcystis / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D008387:Marine Toxins; D052998:Microcystins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C078588:microcystin; C057862:cyanoginosin LR
keywords: C. elegans; Gene expression; Microarray; Microcystin; Microcystis aeruginosa; Organobromines