Proteomic responses induced by metal pollutions in oysters Crassostrea sikamea

Abstract

There exist severe metal pollutions along the Jiulongjiang estuary in South China. In order to unravel the biological effects caused by metal pollutions, proteomic responses were investigated by two-dimensional electrophoresis-based proteomics in oysters Crassostrea sikamea from metal pollution sites, Jinshan (JS) and Baijiao (BJ), and a relatively clean site, Jiuzhen (JZ), along the Jiulongjiang estuary. Results indicated that metal pollutions mainly induced cellular injuries, oxidative and immune stresses, and disturbed ion homeostasis in oysters C. sikamea from both JS and BJ sites via differential pathways. Furthermore, metal pollution enhanced transcriptional initiation in oysters from JS site. In addition, the Cu and Fe pollution might be indicated by the 78 kDa glucose regulated protein and ferritin GF1 in oysters C. sikamea, respectively. The study confirms that proteomics is a promising approach to characterize the underlying mechanisms of responses to metal pollution in oysters.