Regulation of metallothionein gene expression in response to benzo[a]pyrene exposure and bacterial challenge in marine cultured black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegelii)

Abstract

Metallothioneins (MTs) are normally considered to be sensitive indicators of heavy metal pollution, but it is less clear whether the MT gene can actively respond to other environmental stresses. In this study, an MT mRNA molecular sequence of 471 bp (full length) was identified in marine cultured black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegelii), encoding 60 amino acids containing 20 cysteine residues. The MT sequence was highly homologous to that of other fish belonging to the MT superfamily type 1 family. The three dimensional structure of the deduced MT peptide was composed of two metal-binding domains capable of ligating divalent heavy metals. The MT mRNA transcripts were detected in the 11 tested tissues and the highest quantity was present in the liver. Stresses by two factors, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]p) exposure and bacterial challenge, were evaluated on MT gene expression. The level of MT gene transcripts in the liver significantly declined 24 h post B[a]p exposure and the quantity was significantly correlated with the exposure time during a 24 h period. In contrast, MT gene expression in the liver was significantly increased 48 h post bacterial infection and the quantity was significantly correlated with the infection time during this period of 48 h. Our results indicated that MT gene expression in black porgy liver was sensitive to environmental stresses other than just the heavy metal pollution reported, suggesting that the development of a reliable biomarker for heavy metal pollution will be more complex than expected.