title: 70-kDa heat shock cognate protein expression as a putative biomarker of heavy-metal burden in Mytilus galloprovincialis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heavy metals naturally occur in the marine environment and ecosystems. Due to anthropogenic influence they became common waters and coastal regions pollutants in particular where their concentrations remain hazardously high. We therefore tested a protocol for combined analysis of 6 heavy metal (Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Fe and Hg) concentrations in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis collected from a coastal industrial zone (shipyard locality) and mariculture facilities in combination with expression analysis of multi xenobiotic resistance related genes and stress-related gene (HSC-70).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this paper we tested a protocol for heavy-metal levels assessment by use of a highly sensitive analytical method, ICP-OES, combined with expression analysis of multi xenobiotic resistance related genes, including the stress-related gene encoding 70-kDa heat shock cognate protein on mussels (Mytillus Galloprovincialis). Mussels from the shipyard locality had higher heavy metal concentrations, except Fe. Higher metal concentrations did not influence expression of multi xenobiotic resistance related genes with exception of stress-related gene (HSC-70) encoding 70-kDa heat shock cognate protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that mussels sampled in the industrial area have increased metal concentrations in comparison with the aquaculture locality, that are accompanied by increased transcript levels of HSC-70.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Radmile Matejčić 2, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ratkaj
authors.affiliation: Teaching Institute for Public Health of Primorsko-goranska County, Krešimirova 52a, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Žurga
authors.affiliation: Teaching Institute for Public Health of Primorsko-goranska County, Krešimirova 52a, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bulog
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Radmile Matejčić 2, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peter-Katalinić
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Radmile Matejčić 2, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
authors.forename: Sandra Kraljević
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pavelić
keywords: HSC-70; Heavy metals; Mytilus galloprovincialis