Response of the pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera to cadmium and chromium: Identification of molecular biomarkers.
This study was designed to identify in the pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera, used as a bio-accumulator, molecular biomarkers for the presence of heavy metals in the lagoon environment. Pearl oysters were exposed to 2 concentrations (1 and 10μgL-1) of cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) compared to a control. Twelve target genes encoding proteins potentially involved in the response to heavy metal contamination with antioxidant, detoxification or apoptosis activities were selected. P. margaritifera accumulated Cd but not Cr, and mortality was related to the amount of Cd accumulated in tissues. In response to Cd-Cr contamination, metallothionein (MT) was significantly up-regulated by Cd-Cr at both concentrations, while 7 others (SOD, CAT, GPX, GSTO, GSTM, CASP, MDR) were down-regulated. Based on the development of these molecular tools, we propose that the pearl oyster, P. margaritifera, could be used as a sentinel species for heavy metal contamination in the lagoons of tropical ecosystems.
Ifremer, UMR 241 EIO, UPF-ILM-IRD, Labex Corail, BP 49, 98719 Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia; Ifremer, UMR 5244 IHPE, UPVD, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, CC 80, F-34095 Montpellier, France.
Yannick
Y
Gueguen
Ifremer, UMR 241 EIO, UPF-ILM-IRD, Labex Corail, BP 49, 98719 Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Saulnier
S
Denis
Ifremer, UMR 241 EIO, UPF-ILM-IRD, Labex Corail, BP 49, 98719 Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Santini
S
Adrien
Ifremer, UMR 241 EIO, UPF-ILM-IRD, Labex Corail, BP 49, 98719 Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Magre
M
Kevin
Ifremer, UMR 241 EIO, UPF-ILM-IRD, Labex Corail, BP 49, 98719 Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Garen
G
Pierre
IRSN - LESE, BP 182, 98725 Vairao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Bernagout
B
Solène
IRSN - LESE, BP 182, 98725 Vairao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Nohl
N
Marine
IRSN - LESE, BP 182, 98725 Vairao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Bouisset
B
Patrick
IRSN - LESE, BP 182, 98725 Vairao, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Helme
H
Herehia
Labex Corail, USR 3278 CNRS-CRIOBE- EPHE, Perpignan, France, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia.
Planes
P
Serge
Ifremer, UMR 241 EIO, UPF-ILM-IRD, Labex Corail, BP 49, 98719 Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia. Electronic address: gilles.le.moullac@ifremer.fr.
Le Moullac
LM
Gilles
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D002857:Chromium / Q000633:toxicity*; D017753:Ecosystem; D049911:Pinctada / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
D015415:Biomarkers; D002104:Cadmium; D002857:Chromium
Cadmium; Chromium; French Polynesia; Gene expression; Metallothionein; Pinctada margaritifera