Transcriptional response of stress-regulated genes to cadmium exposure in the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum from the gulf of Gabès area (Tunisia)

Abstract

This study investigates cadmium effects on key messenger RNA (mRNA) expression (MT, MnSOD, CuZnSOD, CAT, ABCB1, HSP70, and CO1) by qPCR in the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum after chronic exposure to two high but environmentally relevant concentrations of CdCl2 (50 μg/L and 5 mg/L) for 12 h to 18 days. Cd accumulation measured in cockles' tissues is significantly higher in both treatment conditions compared to controls and in a dose-dependent manner. Stress on stress tests performed at different times of the experiment clearly demonstrated that exposure to both concentrations of Cd significantly affects cockle survival time in air. Important changes in gene transcription were also highlighted. In particular, MT, HSP70, CAT, and CuZnSOD seem to be relevant biomarkers of Cd exposure because (1) their mRNA levels increase upon exposure and (2) they are highly correlated to Cd accumulation in tissues. Results may be useful for control strategies and for the use of cockles as sentinel organisms.

Transcriptome Profiling Analysis of Wolf Spider Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae) after Cadmium Exposure

“…Furthermore, the number of DEGs observed after the 0.2 mM Cd treatment was slightly higher than that observed in 2 mM Cd-treated spiders. This is consistent with previous observations [25,26], which indicated that genes associated with Cd stress may have been caused by the lowering of the metabolic capacity of the living body by the strong toxicity of Cd content beyond a specific tolerance [27,28]. …”

Transcriptional Responses as Biomarkers of General Toxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis on Metal‐Exposed Bivalves

“…For more detail, see sections Transcript‐specific effects and Tissue‐specific effects , respectively. Furthermore, 13 different bivalve species were represented in the data set: Dreissena polymorpha (27%, n = 108; Hanana et al, 2017, 2018; Louis et al, 2021; Navarro et al, 2011), Crassostrea gigas (20%, n = 81; Choi et al, 2008; Cong et al, 2012, 2013; Jo et al, 2008; Metzger et al, 2012), Cerastoderma glaucum (20%, n = 80; Karray et al, 2015), Mytilus galloprovincialis (8.6%, n = 34; Jimeno‐Romero et al, 2017; Piscopo et al, 2016; Rocha et al, 2018), Anodonta anatina (6.1%, n = 24; Ekelund Ugge et al, 2020), Geloina coaxans (6.1%, n = 24; Guo et al, 2020), Ruditapes philippinarum (4.0%, n =16; Chen et al, 2018), Crassostrea virginica (2.5%, n = 10; Götze et al, 2014; Lebordais et al, 2021), Mytilus edulis (1.8%, n = 7; Poynton et al, 2014), Mercenaria mercenaria (1.0%, n = 4; Götze et al, 2014), Meretrix meretrix (1.0%, n = 4; Gao et al, 2021), Mactra chinensis (0.76%, n = 3; Zhang et al, 2016), and Cerastoderma edule (0.25%, n = 1; Desclaux‐Marchand et al, 2007). Finally, Cd was the most common metal exposure (53%, n = 210, k = 14), followed by Cu (14%, n = 55, k = 5), Cr(VI) (6.1%, n = 24, k = 1), Hg (5.1%, n = 20, k = 1), Gd (4.0%, n = 16, k = 1), Sm (4.0%, n = 16, k = 1), As(V) (3.5%, n = 14, k = 2), Y (3.0%, n =12, k =1), Ag (2.0%, n = 8, k = 1), As(III) (2.0%, n = 8, k = 1), Ni (1.5%, n = 6, k = 1), Pb (1.0%, n = 4, k = 1), and Zn (0.76%, n = 3, k = 1).…”

Molecular Cloning, Characterization, and Expression of a Catalase Gene in the Japanese Scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis Induced in the Presence of Cadmium

“…Cd causes significant metabolic alterations, injuries to biological systems at different levels and promotes oxidative stress in cells. Consequently, the impairment of the defense mechanism against ROS leads to an increase in ROS concentration (Karray et al 2015). This fact could explain the increase in gene transcription of the antioxidant enzyme CAT following Cd exposure.…”