Non-lethal heat shock increases tolerance to metal exposure in brine shrimp.
Pollution and temperature increase are two of the most important stressors that aquatic organisms are facing. Exposure to elevated temperatures and metal contamination both induce heat shock proteins (HSPs), which may thus be involved in the induced cross-tolerance in various organisms. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that exposure to a non-lethal heat shock (NLHS) causes an increased tolerance to subsequent metal exposure. Using gnotobiotic cultures of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, the tolerance to Cd and Zn acute exposures was tested after a prior NLHS treatment (30min exposure to 37°C). The effects of NLHS and metal exposure were also assessed by measuring 70kDa-HSPs production, along with the analysis of epigenetic markers such as DNA methylation and histone H3 and histone H4 acetylation. Our results showed that heat-shocked Artemia had increased acute tolerance to Cd and Zn. However, different patterns of HSPs were observed between the two metal compounds and no epigenetic alterations were observed in response to heat shock or metal exposure. These results suggest that HSP production is a phenotypically plastic trait with a potential role in temperature-induced tolerance to metal exposure.
Department of Biology & CESAM - University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
João L T
JLT
Pestana
MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal.
Sara C
SC
Novais
Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Rozier 44, Gent 9000, Belgium; Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium.
Parisa
P
Norouzitallab
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
Michiel B
MB
Vandegehuchte
Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Rozier 44, Gent 9000, Belgium.
Peter
P
Bossier
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
Karel A C
KAC
De Schamphelaere
D000107:Acetylation; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006657:Histones; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Artemia franciscana; Cadmium; DNA methylation; Epigenetic markers; Heat shock proteins; Histone acetylation; Induced cross-tolerance; Zinc