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Nunes B, Paixão L, Nunes Z, Amado L, Ferreira MA, Rocha R. Use of biochemical markers to quantify the toxicological effects of metals on the fish Sciades herzbergii: potential use to assess the environmental status of Amazon estuaries. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:30789-30799. [PMID: 32474784 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09362-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Enzymatic biomarkers, especially oxidative-stress enzymes, are useful for assessing the status of aquatic environments. The present study used biochemical markers determined in nervous, gill, and liver tissues of Sciades herzbergii, concomitantly with analyses of trace metals in the tissues and bottom sediment, to evaluate environmental quality in Amazon estuaries. The study was conducted from March 2014 to February 2016 in two areas: Caeté estuary in Bragança, state of Pará, which is relatively unimpacted; and São Marcos Bay, next to a harbor in São Luís, state of Maranhão. In the laboratory, the fish were weighed (g) and measured (cm). Fragments of the gills, the brain, and the liver were biochemically analyzed, and the metal contents in the brain, the liver, and the muscle tissues were determined. Turbidity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in São Marcos than in Bragança. Specimens of S. herzbergii were smaller in São Marcos, and aluminum, iron, nickel, copper, cadmium, and mercury levels were higher in bottom sediment (p < 0.05) collected at this location. Fish from São Marcos contained significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of aluminum, iron, and cadmium in the muscle tissue than fish from Bragança. In addition, fish from São Marcos had significantly higher concentrations of nickel in both the nervous and hepatic tissues. Only fish from São Marcos contained measurable concentrations of mercury in the liver and muscle. Fish from Bragança had copper concentrations in the liver significantly different from those captured at São Marcos (p < 0.05). The activities of gill glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) (F = 6.62; df = 1, 16; p < 0.05) and liver CAT (F = 10.22; df = 1, 16; p < 0.05) were higher in fish from São Marcos. However, ChE in brain tissues and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the gills and liver did not differ significantly between fish from both areas. The physico-chemical conditions of the water and the concentrations of metals found in sediment and biological tissues, together with the biochemical responses of S. herzbergii in the study areas, indicate that this species is still tolerant to adverse environmental conditions, but the presence of metals is a risk to the health of fish, mainly to fish from São Marcos, especially if chronically exposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Nunes
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
- Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Leonardo Paixão
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Zélia Nunes
- Instituto de Estudos Costeiros, Universidade Federal do Pará, Alameda Leandro Ribeiro s/n Aldeia, Bragança, PA, 68600-000, Brazil
| | - Lílian Amado
- Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Laboratório de Pesquisas em Monitoramento Ambiental Marinho, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Maria Auxiliadora Ferreira
- Laboratório de Biologia do Desenvolvimento e Imuno-Histoquímica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, 66075-110, Brazil
| | - Rossineide Rocha
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, 66075-110, Brazil
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Ganguly A, Moniruzzaman M, Chakraborty SK, Karan S, Mukherjee J. Impact of metal accumulation pattern on the annual rhythmicity of antioxidants and their interrelationship to maintain the oxidative balance in mollusc. BIOL RHYTHM RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2018.1478627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arundhati Ganguly
- Department of Environmental Science, Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri College, Kolkata, India
| | | | | | - Samya Karan
- Department of Environmental Science, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, India
| | - Joyita Mukherjee
- Department of Zoology, Krishna Chandra College, University of Burdwan, Birbhum, India
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Das D, Moniruzzaman M, Mukhopadhyay S, Karan S, Sarbajna A, Chakraborty SB. Impact of Metal Toxicity on Oxidative Balance and Mitochondrial Enzyme Function in Muscle of Tilapia. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2018; 100:647-652. [PMID: 29500495 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-018-2303-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Present study investigates the effect of metal accumulation on antioxidant level and mitochondrial enzymes function in muscle of Oreochromis mossambicus. Metal accumulation in muscle upregulated stress marker malondialdehyde and the activity of different antioxidant enzymes with no significant alteration in glutathione system. Metal exposure to fish muscle decreased the activity of mitochondrial enzymes. AMP deaminase, aldolase, cytochrome C oxidase and lipoamide reductase showed positive correlation with acetylcholinesterase, glutathione reductase, reduced glutathione and glutathione peroxidase, but negative correlation with superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance. Analysis of these biomarkers clearly indicates the change in oxidative load in muscle tissues and provides insight to muscle response to the metal exposure. Therefore, the study outlines the potential use of biomarkers in context of muscle mitochondrial enzymes relating to oxidative processes that take place in the fish muscle following metal exposure and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debjit Das
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India
| | - Mahammed Moniruzzaman
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India
| | - Soumalya Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Statistics, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
| | - Samya Karan
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India
| | - Adity Sarbajna
- Department of Zoology, Surendranath College, Kolkata, India
| | - Suman Bhusan Chakraborty
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India.
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4
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Vincent M, Duval RE, Hartemann P, Engels-Deutsch M. Contact killing and antimicrobial properties of copper. J Appl Microbiol 2018; 124:1032-1046. [PMID: 29280540 DOI: 10.1111/jam.13681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
With the emergence of antibiotic resistance, the interest for antimicrobial agents has recently increased again in public health. Copper was recognized in 2008 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the first metallic antimicrobial agent. This led to many investigations of the various properties of copper as an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agent. This review summarizes the latest findings about 'contact killing', the mechanism of action of copper nanoparticles and the different ways micro-organisms develop resistance to copper.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Vincent
- CNRS, LEMTA, UMR 7563, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.,Université de Lorraine, LEMTA, UMR 7563, Vandœuvre-lès Nancy, France
| | - R E Duval
- CNRS, UMR 7565, SRSMC, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.,Université de Lorraine, UMR 7565, SRSMC, Nancy, France.,ABC Platform®, Nancy, France
| | - P Hartemann
- Faculté de Médecine, EA 7298, ERAMBO, DESP, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - M Engels-Deutsch
- CNRS, LEMTA, UMR 7563, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.,Université de Lorraine, LEMTA, UMR 7563, Vandœuvre-lès Nancy, France.,Faculté de Médecine, EA 7298, ERAMBO, DESP, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
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Antsotegi-Uskola M, Markina-Iñarrairaegui A, Ugalde U. Copper Resistance in Aspergillus nidulans Relies on the P I-Type ATPase CrpA, Regulated by the Transcription Factor AceA. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:912. [PMID: 28611736 PMCID: PMC5447758 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Copper homeostasis has been extensively studied in mammals, bacteria, and yeast, but it has not been well-documented in filamentous fungi. In this report, we investigated the basis of copper tolerance in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans. Three genes involved in copper homeostasis have been characterized. First, crpA the A. nidulans ortholog of Candida albicans CaCRP1 gene encoding a PI-type ATPase was identified. The phenotype of crpA deletion led to a severe sensitivity to Cu+2 toxicity and a characteristic morphological growth defect in the presence of high copper concentration. CrpA displayed some promiscuity regarding metal species response. The expression pattern of crpA showed an initial strong elevation of mRNA and a low continuous gene expression in response to long term toxic copper levels. Coinciding with maximum protein expression level, CrpA was localized close to the cellular surface, however protein distribution across diverse organelles suggests a complex regulated trafficking process. Secondly, aceA gene, encoding a transcription factor was identified and deleted, resulting in an even more extreme copper sensitivity than the ΔcrpA mutant. Protein expression assays corroborated that AceA was necessary for metal inducible expression of CrpA, but not CrdA, a putative metallothionein the function of which has yet to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martzel Antsotegi-Uskola
- Microbial Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque CountrySan Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ane Markina-Iñarrairaegui
- Microbial Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque CountrySan Sebastian, Spain
| | - Unai Ugalde
- Microbial Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque CountrySan Sebastian, Spain
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Nunes B, Caldeira C, Luísa Pereira J, Gonçalves F, Correia AT. Chronic Effects of Realistic Concentrations of Non-essential and Essential Metals (Lead and Zinc) on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers of the Mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2015; 69:586-595. [PMID: 26184506 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-015-0190-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Metallic contamination is widespread, particularly in areas impacted by human activities. Human activities result in high loads of metals being discarded into the aquatic compartment, reinforcing the need to evaluate their toxic effects especially on exposed fish. The purpose of this study was to determine the toxic response (namely, antioxidant levels and lipoperoxidative damage) in both liver and gills of the freshwater fish species Gambusia holbrooki, exposed to lead and zinc. Fish were exposed for 28 days (chronic exposure) to ecologically relevant concentrations of the selected compounds. The following oxidative stress/damage biomarkers were evaluated: glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), glutathione reductase (GR), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The results indicate that lead caused a significant oxidative response, with significant increase of the enzymatic antioxidant defense (GSTs activity in hepatic tissue, and GR activity in branchial tissue) of exposed organisms. On the other hand, zinc caused a significant inhibition of G. holbrooki hepatic GR, a biological response that may be related to the antioxidant activity exhibited by this metal. The obtained results are of high importance, especially if one considers that the obtained toxic responses occurred at low, albeit ecologically relevant, levels of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Nunes
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Carina Caldeira
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana Luísa Pereira
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Fernando Gonçalves
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Alberto Teodorico Correia
- Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Fernando Pessoa (FCS-UFP), Rua Carlos da Maia 296, 4200-150, Porto, Portugal
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Xie XX, Ma YF, Wang QS, Chen ZL, Liao RR, Pan YC. Yeast CUP1 protects HeLa cells against copper-induced stress. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 48:616-21. [PMID: 26083994 PMCID: PMC4512100 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x20153848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
As an essential trace element, copper can be toxic in mammalian cells when present in
excess. Metallothioneins (MTs) are small, cysteine-rich proteins that avidly bind
copper and thus play an important role in detoxification. YeastCUP1
is a member of the MT gene family. The aim of this study was to
determine whether yeast CUP1 could bind copper effectively and
protect cells against copper stress. In this study,CUP1 expression
was determined by quantitative real-time PCR, and copper content was detected by
inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Production of intracellular reactive
oxygen species (ROS) was evaluated using the 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein-diacetate
(DCFH-DA) assay. Cellular viability was detected using the
3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and the cell
cycle distribution of CUP1 was analyzed by fluorescence-activated
cell sorting. The data indicated that overexpression of yeast CUP1
in HeLa cells played a protective role against copper-induced stress, leading to
increased cellular viability (P<0.05) and decreased ROS production (P<0.05). It
was also observed that overexpression of yeast CUP1 reduced the
percentage of G1 cells and increased the percentage of S cells, which suggested that
it contributed to cell viability. We found that overexpression of yeast
CUP1 protected HeLa cells against copper stress. These results
offer useful data to elucidate the mechanism of the MT gene on
copper metabolism in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- X X Xie
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Department of Animal Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Y F Ma
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Department of Animal Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Q S Wang
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Department of Animal Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Z L Chen
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Department of Animal Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - R R Liao
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Department of Animal Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Y C Pan
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Department of Animal Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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8
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Nunes B, Caldeira C, Pereira JL, Gonçalves F, Correia AT. Perturbations in ROS-related processes of the fish Gambusia holbrooki after acute and chronic exposures to the metals copper and cadmium. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:3756-3765. [PMID: 25263413 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-3580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Metallic contamination is a widespread phenomena, particularly in areas impacted by human activities, and has become a relevant environmental concern. However, the toxicity of metals on fish requires full characterization in terms of short- and long-term effects. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the acute and chronic oxidative stress response in liver and gills of Gambusia holbrooki exposed to copper and cadmium. To assess the effects of these two metals, we adopted a strategy of analyzing the pollution effects caused by salts of the two metallic elements, and we quantified the oxidative stress biomarkers catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferases, and lipid peroxidation after exposure (4 and 28 days) to ecologically relevant concentrations, thus simulating actual conditions of exposure in the wild. Our results showed that copper elicited strong effects in all tested biomarkers for both acute and chronic challenges. Cadmium caused a similar response and was shown to cause significant changes particularly in catalase and glutathione-S-transferases activities. These findings evidence that ecologically relevant concentrations of common anthropogenic contaminants are causative agents of serious imbalances (namely oxidative stress) that are likely to trigger life-threatening events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Nunes
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal,
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Nunes B, Brandão F, Sérgio T, Rodrigues S, Gonçalves F, Correia AT. Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of metallic compounds on the flatfish Scophthalmus maximus: biomarkers of neurotoxicity, oxidative stress and metabolism. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:7501-7511. [PMID: 24595748 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2630-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Flatfish species, such as the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), are common targets for toxic effects, since they are exposed through the food chain (ingestion of contaminated preys) and are in direct contact with the waterborne contaminant and sediments. Furthermore, these fish species live in close proximity to interstitial water that frequently dissolves high amounts of contaminants, including metals. Despite this significant set of characteristics, the present knowledge concerning flatfish contamination and toxicity by metals is still scarce. To attain the objective of assessing the effects of metals on a flatfish species, S. maximus specimens were chronically exposed to lead, copper and zinc, at ecologically relevant concentrations, and biochemical (oxidative stress: catalase and glutathione S-transferases activities, and lipid peroxidation; neurotoxicity: cholinesterase activity) parameters were assessed on selected tissues (gills and liver). Copper had no significant effects on all tested parameters; lead was causative of significant increases in liver GSTs activities and also in lipoperoxidation of gill tissue; exposure to zinc caused a significant increase in catalase activity of gill tissue. None of the tested metals elicited noteworthy effects in terms of neurotoxicity. The obtained results showed that only the metal lead is of some environmental importance, since it was able to cause deleterious modifications of oxidative nature at relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Nunes
- Departamento de Biologia da Universidade de Aveiro, CESAM, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal,
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Nunes B, Capela RC, Sérgio T, Caldeira C, Gonçalves F, Correia AT. Effects of chronic exposure to lead, copper, zinc, and cadmium on biomarkers of the European eel, Anguilla anguilla. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:5689-5700. [PMID: 24430501 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2485-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to specific metallic compounds can cause severe deleterious modifications in organisms. Fishes are particularly prone to toxic effects from exposure to metallic compounds via their environment. Species that inhabit estuaries or freshwater environments can be chronically affected by persistent exposure to a large number of metallic compounds, particularly those released by industrial activities. In this study, we exposed yellow eels (European eel, Anguilla anguilla) for 28 days to environmentally relevant concentrations of four specific metals; lead (300, 600, and 1,200 μg/l), copper (40, 120, and 360 μg/l), zinc (30, 60, and 120 μg/l) and cadmium (50, 150, and 450 μg/l). The selected endpoints to assess the toxicological effects were neurotransmission (cholinesterasic activity in nervous tissue), antioxidant defense, and phase II metabolism (glutathione-S-transferase [GST] activity, in both gills and liver tissues), and peroxidative damage. The results showed an overall lack of effects on acetylcholinesterase for all tested metals. Lead, copper, and cadmium exposure caused a significant, dose-dependent, increase in GST activity in gill tissue. However, liver GST only significantly increased following zinc exposure. No statistically significant effects were observed for the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay, indicating the absence of peroxidative damage. These findings suggest that, despite the occurrence of an oxidative-based response after exposure to lead, copper, and cadmium, this had no consequence in terms of peroxidative membrane damage; furthermore, cholinergic neurotoxicity caused by lead, copper, and cadmium did not occur. The implications of these results are further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Nunes
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal,
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Abstract
Copper is an essential nutrient that is toxic to cells when present in excess. The fungal pathogen Candida albicans employs several mechanisms to survive in the presence of excess copper, but the molecular pathways that govern these responses are not completely understood. We report that deletion of GPA2, which specifies a G-protein α subunit, confers increased resistance to excess copper and propose that the increased resistance is due to a combination of decreased copper uptake and an increase in copper chelation by metallothioneins. This is supported by our observations that a gpa2Δ/Δ mutant has reduced expression of the copper uptake genes, CTR1 and FRE7, and a marked decrease in copper accumulation following exposure to high copper levels. Furthermore, deletion of GPA2 results in an increased expression of the copper metallothionein gene, CRD2. Gpa2p functions upstream in the cyclic AMP (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway to govern hyphal morphogenesis. The copper resistance phenotype of the gpa2Δ/Δ mutant can be reversed by artificially increasing the intracellular concentration of cAMP. These results provide evidence for a novel role of the PKA pathway in regulation of copper homeostasis. Furthermore, the connection between the PKA pathway and copper homeostasis appears to be conserved in the pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans but not in the nonpathogenic Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
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Gao X, Zhuge B, Fang H, Zhuge J. The construction of a new integrative vector with a new selective marker of copper resistance for glycerol producer Candida glycerinogenes. Curr Microbiol 2012; 64:357-64. [PMID: 22237983 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-011-0075-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2011] [Accepted: 12/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Candida glycerinogenes WL2002-5 has been used for industrial-scale fermentation of glycerol and may be a promising genetic host due to its tolerance to high osmotic pressure and fast growth. It resists many kinds of drugs, such as G418/hygromycin/cycloheximide. In previous studies, only Zeocin was used as a drug-resistant marker. But Zeocin is so expensive that it largely limits the genetic and molecular study. Here, we constructed a eukaryotic integrative vector pGAPZU, based on pGAPZB, to gain a new selectable marker of copper resistance for this strain. The results showed that the CUP1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae elevated copper resistance of C. glycerinogenes. The C. glycerinogenes transformed with recombinant vector pGUC, obtained from introducing CUP1 gene into plasmid pGAPZU, could resist 21 mM copper, while the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of wild type was 18 mM in solid YEPD medium. With copper resistance as a selective marker, research cost was largely reduced from 114.0 $/L with Zeocin as selective marker to 0.1 $/L. The new expression vector pGUC and selective marker of copper resistance gene establish a good foundation for further study on this industrial strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaona Gao
- The Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, Research Centre of Industrial Microorganisms, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
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Poljsak B, Pócsi I, Raspor P, Pesti M. Interference of chromium with biological systems in yeasts and fungi: a review. J Basic Microbiol 2010; 50:21-36. [PMID: 19810050 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.200900170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
This paper deals with the interactions of chromium (Cr) with biological systems, focusing in particular on yeasts and fungi. These interactions are analysed with primarily regard to biochemical functions, but higher levels of organization are also considered. Thus, the morphological and cytological characteristics of selected microorganisms in response to exposure to chromium ions are evaluated. The different oxidation states of chromium and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in redox reactions with chromium ions are presented and characterized. The interactions of the most exposed subcellular structures, including the cell wall, plasma membrane and nuclei, have been deeply investigated in recent years, for two major reasons. The first is the toxicity of chromium ions and their strong impact on the metabolism of many species, ranging from microbes to humans. The second is the still disputed usefulness of chromium ions, and in particular trivalent chromium, in the glucose and fat metabolisms. Chromium pollution is still an important issue in many regions of the world, and various solutions have been proposed for the bioremediation of soil and water with selected microbial species. Yeasts and especially moulds have been most widely investigated from this aspect, and the biosorption and bioaccumulation of chromium for bioremediation purposes have been demonstrated. Accordingly, the mechanisms of chromium tolerance or resistance of selected microbes are of particular importance in both bioremediation and waste water treatment technologies. The mechanisms of chromium toxicity and detoxification have been studied extensively in yeasts and fungi, and some promising results have emerged in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borut Poljsak
- Chair of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Ferencz A, Hermesz E. Identification and characterization of two mtf-1 genes in common carp. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2008; 148:238-43. [PMID: 18602497 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2008.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2008] [Revised: 06/03/2008] [Accepted: 06/07/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The Metal-responsive Transcription Factor (MTF-1) serves as an essential regulator of Zn(2+) homeostasis via the activation of metallothionein gene expression. Only a single mtf-1 gene has been identified in any organism investigated previously. We report here the first evidence of the existence of two genes encoding MTF-1 proteins (mtf-1.1 and mtf-1.2). The expression patterns were followed in the liver, kidney, muscle, brain and heart by means of Northern hybridization and reverse transcription coupled polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR). mtf-1.1 mRNA was detected in all tissues examined, with the highest level in the brain, and the lowest in the kidney and the liver. mtf-1.2 expression was detected exclusively in the brain. Cold shock and Cd(2+) exposure influence the gene expression at the transcriptional level, in a stress-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Ferencz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Szeged, P.O. Box 533, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary
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15
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Woodacre A, Mason RP, Jeeves RE, Cashmore AM. Copper-dependent transcriptional regulation by Candida albicans Mac1p. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2008; 154:1502-1512. [PMID: 18451059 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2007/013441-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that copper uptake and regulation in the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans has some similarities to those in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, including the activation of the copper transporter gene CaCTR1 under low-copper conditions by the transcription factor CaMac1p. However, in this study, further analysis has shown that the actual mechanism of regulation by CaMac1p is different from that of its S. cerevisiae homologue. We demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that the CaMAC1 gene is transcriptionally autoregulated in a copper-dependent manner, in contrast to ScMAC1, which is constitutively transcribed. We also demonstrate that the presence of one copper response element in the promoters of CaCTR1, CaMAC1 and the ferric/cupric reductase gene CaFRE7 is sufficient for normal levels of copper-responsive transcription. In contrast, two promoter elements are essential for normal levels of copper-dependent transcriptional activation by ScMac1p. CaMac1p is also involved in the regulation of the iron-responsive transcriptional repressor gene SFU1 and the alternative oxidase gene AOX2. This work describes a key feature of the copper uptake system in C. albicans that distinguishes it from similar processes in the model yeast S. cerevisiae. The importance of copper uptake in the environment of the human host and the implications for the disease process are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert P Mason
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Rose E Jeeves
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
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16
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Kim SJ, Choi YS, Kim HG, Park EH, Lim CJ. Cloning, characterization and regulation of a protein disulfide isomerase from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Mol Biol Rep 2006; 33:187-96. [PMID: 16850188 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-006-0012-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2006] [Accepted: 03/08/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
To elucidate the physiological roles and regulation of a protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the full-length PDI gene was ligated into the shuttle vector pRS316, resulting in pPDI10. The determined DNA sequence carries 1,636 bp and encodes the putative 359 amino acid sequence of PDI with a molecular mass of 39,490 Da. In the amino acid sequence, the S. pombe PDI appears to be very homologous to A. thaliana PDI. The S. pombe cells harboring pPDI10 showed increased PDI activity and accelerated growth, suggesting that the cloned PDI gene is functioning and involved in the yeast growth. The 460 bp upstream region of the PDI gene was fused into promoterless beta-galactosidase gene of the shuttle vector YEp367R to generate pYUPDI10. The synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the PDI-lacZ fusion gene was enhanced by oxidative stress, such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. It was also induced by some non-fermentable and fermentable carbon sources. Nitrogen starvation was able to enhance the synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the PDI-lacZ fusion gene. The enhancement by oxidative stress and fermentable carbon sources did not depend on the presence of Pap1. The PDI mRNA levels were increased in both Pap1-positive and Pap1-negative cells treated with glycerol. Taken together, the S. pombe PDI gene is involved in cellular growth and response to nutritional and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Jung Kim
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kangwon National University, 192-1 Hyoja-2-dong, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea
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17
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Bao Y, White CL, Luger K. Nucleosome core particles containing a poly(dA.dT) sequence element exhibit a locally distorted DNA structure. J Mol Biol 2006; 361:617-24. [PMID: 16860337 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2006.06.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2006] [Revised: 06/15/2006] [Accepted: 06/21/2006] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Poly(dA.dT) DNA sequence elements are thought to promote transcription by either excluding nucleosomes or by altering their structural or dynamic properties. Here, the stability and structure of a defined nucleosome core particle containing a 16 base-pair poly(dA.dT) element (A16 NCP) was investigated. The A16 NCP requires a significantly higher temperature for histone octamer sliding in vitro compared to comparable nucleosomes that do not contain a poly(dA.dT) element. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer showed that the interactions between the nucleosomal DNA ends and the histone octamer were destabilized in A16 NCP. The crystal structure of A16 NCP was determined to a resolution of 3.2 A. The overall structure was maintained except for local deviations in DNA conformation. These results are consistent with previous in vivo and in vitro observations that poly(dA.dT) elements cause only modest changes in DNA accessibility and modest increases in steady-state transcription levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhe Bao
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1870, USA
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18
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Kim HG, Kim BC, Park EH, Lim CJ. Stress-dependent regulation of a monothiol glutaredoxin gene from Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Can J Microbiol 2006; 51:613-20. [PMID: 16175211 DOI: 10.1139/w05-034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Glutaredoxin (Grx) is a small, heat-stable protein acting as a multi-functional glutathione-dependent disulfide oxidoreductase. In this work, a gene encoding the monothiol glutaredoxin Grx4 was cloned from the genomic DNA of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The determined DNA sequence carries 1706 bp, which is able to encode the putative 244 amino acid sequence of Grx with 27 099 Da. It does not contain an intron, and the sequence CGFS is found in the active site. Grx activity was increased 1.46-fold in S. pombe cells harboring the cloned Grx4 gene, indicating that the Grx4 gene is in vivo functioning. Although aluminum, cadmium, and hydrogen peroxide marginally enhanced the synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the Grx4-lacZ fusion gene, NO-generating sodium nitroprusside (0.5 mmol/L and 1.0 mmol/L) and potassium chloride (0.2 mol/L and 0.5 mol/L) significantly enhanced it. The Grx4 mRNA level was also enhanced after the treatment with sodium nitroprusside and potassium chloride. The synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the Grx4-lacZ gene was increased by fermentable carbon sources, such as glucose (lower than 2%) and sucrose, but not by nonfermentable carbon sources such as acetate and ethanol. The basal expression of the S. pombe Grx4 gene did not depend on the presence of Pap1. These results imply that the S. pombe monothiol Grx4 gene is genuinely functional and regulated by a variety of stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Gyum Kim
- Division of Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Colege of Natural Sciences, Korea
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19
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Castillo NI, Fierro F, Gutiérrez S, Martín JF. Genome-wide analysis of differentially expressed genes from Penicillium chrysogenum grown with a repressing or a non-repressing carbon source. Curr Genet 2005; 49:85-96. [PMID: 16362424 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-005-0029-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2005] [Revised: 09/21/2005] [Accepted: 09/22/2005] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Penicillium chrysogenum is an economically important ascomycete used as industrial producer of penicillin. However, with the exception of penicillin biosynthesis genes, little attention has been paid to the genetics of other aspects of the metabolism of this fungus. In this article we describe the first attempt of systematic analysis of expressed genes in P. chrysogenum, using a suppression subtractive hybridization approach to clone and identify sequences of genes differentially expressed in media with glucose or lactose as carbon source (penicillin-repressing or non-repressing conditions). A total of 167 clones were analysed, 95 from the glucose condition and 72 from the lactose condition. Genes differentially expressed in the glucose condition encode mainly proteins involved in the mitochondrial electron transport chain and primary metabolism. Genes expressed differentially in lactose-containing medium include genes for secondary metabolism (pcbC, isopenicillin N synthase), different hydrolases and a gene encoding a putative hexose transporter or sensor. The results provided information on how the metabolism of this fungus adapts to different carbon sources. The expression patterns of some of the genes support the hypothesis that glucose induces higher rates of respiration in P. chrysogenum while repressing secondary metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Isabel Castillo
- Instituto de Biotecnología de León, Parque Científico de León, Av. Real, 1, 24006 León, Spain
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Kang HJ, Kim BC, Park EH, Ahn K, Lim CJ. The gene encoding gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase II in the fission yeast is regulated by oxidative and metabolic stress. BMB Rep 2005; 38:609-18. [PMID: 16202243 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2005.38.5.609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT, EC 2.3.2.2.) catalyzes the transfer of the gamma-glutamyl moiety from gamma-glutamylcontaining compounds, notably glutathione (GSH), to acceptor amino acids and peptides. A second gene (GGTII) encoding GGT was previously isolated and characterized from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In the present work, the GGTII-lacZ fusion gene was constructed and used to study the transcriptional regulation of the S. pombe GGTII gene. The synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the GGTII-lacZ fusion gene was significantly enhanced by NO-generating SNP and hydrogen peroxide in the wildtype yeast cells. The GGTII mRNA level was increased in the wild-type S. pombe cells treated with SNP. However, the induction by SNP was abolished in the Pap1-negative S. pombe cells, implying that the induction by SNP of GGTII is mediated by Pap1. Fermentable carbon sources, such as glucose (at low concentrations), lactose and sucrose, as a sole carbon source, enhanced the synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the GGTII-lacZ fusion gene in wildtype KP1 cells but not in Pap1-negative cells. Glycerol, a non-fermentable carbon source, was also able to induce the synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the fusion gene, but other non-fermentable carbon sources such as acetate and ethanol were not. Transcriptional induction of the GGTII gene by fermentable carbon sources was also confirmed by increased GGTII mRNA levels in the yeast cells grown with them. Nitrogen starvation was also able to induce the synthesis of beta-galactosidase from the GGTII-lacZ fusiongene in a Pap1-dependent manner. On the basis of the results, it is concluded that the S. pombe GGTII gene is regulated by oxidative and metabolic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Jung Kang
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Korea
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21
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Srikantha T, Zhao R, Daniels K, Radke J, Soll DR. Phenotypic switching in Candida glabrata accompanied by changes in expression of genes with deduced functions in copper detoxification and stress. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2005; 4:1434-45. [PMID: 16087748 PMCID: PMC1214528 DOI: 10.1128/ec.4.8.1434-1445.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2005] [Accepted: 05/31/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Most strains of Candida glabrata switch spontaneously between a number of phenotypes distinguishable by graded brown coloration on agar containing 1 mM CuSO4, a phenomenon referred to as "core switching." C. glabrata also switches spontaneously and reversibly from core phenotypes to an irregular wrinkle (IWr) phenotype, a phenomenon referred to as "irregular wrinkle switching." To identify genes differentially expressed in the core phenotypes white (Wh) and dark brown (DB), a cDNA subtraction strategy was employed. Twenty-three genes were identified as up-regulated in DB, four in Wh, and six in IWr. Up-regulation was verified in two unrelated strains, one a and one alpha strain. The functions of these genes were deduced from the functions of their Saccharomyces cerevisiae orthologs. The majority of genes up-regulated in DB (78%) played deduced roles in copper assimilation, sulfur assimilation, and stress responses. These genes were differentially up-regulated in DB even though the conditions of growth for Wh and DB, including CuSO4 concentration, were identical. Hence, the regulation of these genes, normally regulated by environmental cues, has been usurped by switching, presumably as an adaptation to the challenging host environment. These results are consistent with the suggestion that switching provides colonizing populations with a minority of cells expressing a phenotype that allows them to enrich in response to an environmental challenge, a form of rapid adaptation. However, DB is the most commonly expressed phenotype at sites of host colonization, in the apparent absence of elevated copper levels. Hence, up-regulation of these genes by switching suggests that in some cases they may play roles in colonization and virulence not immediately obvious from the roles played by their orthologs in S. cerevisiae.
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22
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Krüger A, Pescaron Kan-Berghöfer T, Frettinger P, Herrmann S, Buscot F, Oelmüller R. Identification of premycorrhiza-related plant genes in the association between Quercus robur and Piloderma croceum. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2004; 163:149-157. [PMID: 33873791 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2004.01091.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
• An in vitro system with micropropagated oaks (Quercus robur) and the ectomycorrhizal fungus Piloderma croceum, which is characterized by a delayed mycorrhiza formation, was used to identify plant transcripts upregulated in the premycorrhizal phase. • Complementary DNA (cDNA) populations of uninoculated roots and fungal mycelium were subtracted from a cDNA population of inoculated roots. Differential expression was confirmed by reverse Northern and 50 clones for different polypeptides were found to be up-regulated. Twenty-nine clones were investigated in more detail. • For approximately half of the cDNA fragments no homologies could be identified in databases. The residual fragments code for polypeptides with homologies to known proteins involved in signal perception and transmission, stress responses, metabolism and growth. • Since many of the identified genes have not yet been described in the context of symbiotic events, their potential roles during early phases of the recognition process are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Krüger
- Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Patrick Frettinger
- Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Botany, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Johannisallee 21-23, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sylvie Herrmann
- Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
| | - François Buscot
- Institute of Ecology, Department of Environmental Sciences, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Botany, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Johannisallee 21-23, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Oelmüller
- Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, FSU Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, D-07743 Jena, Germany
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23
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Balamurugan K, Egli D, Selvaraj A, Zhang B, Georgiev O, Schaffner W. Metal-responsive transcription factor (MTF-1) and heavy metal stress response in Drosophila and mammalian cells: a functional comparison. Biol Chem 2004; 385:597-603. [PMID: 15318808 DOI: 10.1515/bc.2004.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The zinc finger transcription factor MTF-1 (metal-responsive transcription factor-1) is conserved from insects to vertebrates. Its major role in both organisms is to control the transcription of genes involved in the homeostasis and detoxification of heavy metal ions such as Cu2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+. In mammals, MTF-1 serves at least two additional roles. First, targeted disruption of the MTF-1 gene results in death at embryonic day 14 due to liver degeneration, revealing a stage-specific developmental role. Second, under hypoxic-anoxic stress, MTF-1 helps to activate the transcription of the gene placental growth factor (PIGF), an angiogenic protein. Recently we characterized dMTF-1, the Drosophila homolog of mammalian MTF-1. Here we present a series of studies to compare the metal response in mammals and insects, which reveal common features but also differences. A human MTF-1 transgene can restore to a large extent metal tolerance to flies lacking their own MTF-1 gene, both at low and high copper concentrations. Likewise, Drosophila MTF-1 can substitute for human MTF-1 in mammalian cell culture, although both the basal and the metal-induced transcript levels are lower. Finally, a clear difference was revealed in the response to mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal: metallothionein-type promoters respond poorly, if at all, to Hg2+ in mammalian cells but strongly in Drosophila, and this response is completely dependent on dMTF-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuppusamy Balamurugan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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24
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Saydam N, Steiner F, Georgiev O, Schaffner W. Heat and heavy metal stress synergize to mediate transcriptional hyperactivation by metal-responsive transcription factor MTF-1. J Biol Chem 2003; 278:31879-83. [PMID: 12805380 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m302138200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian cells react to heavy metal stress by transcribing a number of genes that contain metal-response elements (MREs) in their promoter/enhancer region; this activation is mediated by metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1). Well-known target genes of MTF-1 are those encoding metallothioneins, small, cysteine-rich proteins with a high affinity for heavy metals. The response to heat shock, another cell stress, is mediated by heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), which activates a battery of heat shock genes. Little is known about the cross-talk between the different anti-stress systems of the cell. Here we report a synergistic activation of metal-responsive promoters by heavy metal load (zinc or cadmium) and heat shock. An obvious explanation, cooperativity between MTF-1 and HSF1, seems unlikely: transfected HSF1 boosts the activity of an Hsp70 promoter but hardly affects an MRE-containing promoter upon exposure to metal and heat shock. A clue to the mechanism is given by our finding that heat shock leads to intracellular accumulation of heavy metals. We propose that the known anti-apoptotic effect of heat shock proteins allows for cell survival despite heavy metal accumulation and, consequently, results in a hyperactivation of the metal response pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurten Saydam
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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25
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Pereira MD, Herdeiro RS, Fernandes PN, Eleutherio ECA, Panek AD. Targets of oxidative stress in yeast sod mutants. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2003; 1620:245-51. [PMID: 12595095 DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4165(03)00003-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells have developed mechanisms to rapidly respond towards the environment by changing the expression of a series of genes. There is increasing evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS), besides causing damage, may also fulfill an important role as second messengers involved in signal transduction. Recently, we have demonstrated that deletion of SOD1 is beneficial for the acquisition of tolerance towards heat and ethanol stresses. The present report demonstrates that a sod1 mutant was the only one capable of acquiring tolerance against a subsequent stress produced by menadione, although this mutant strain had exhibited high sensitivity to oxidative stress. By measuring the level of intracellular oxidation, lipid peroxidation as well as glutathione metabolism, we have shown that in the SOD1-deleted strain, an unbalance occurs in the cell redox status. These results indicated that the capacity of acquiring tolerance to oxidative stress is related to a signal given by one or all of the above factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Pereira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, UFRJ, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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26
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27
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Lanfranco L, Bolchi A, Ros EC, Ottonello S, Bonfante P. Differential expression of a metallothionein gene during the presymbiotic versus the symbiotic phase of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2002; 130:58-67. [PMID: 12226486 PMCID: PMC166539 DOI: 10.1104/pp.003525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2002] [Revised: 03/30/2002] [Accepted: 05/26/2002] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
A full-length cDNA encoding a metallothionein (MT)-like polypeptide, designated GmarMT1, was identified in an expressed sequence tag collection from germinated spores of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Gigaspora margarita (BEG34). The GmarMT1 gene is composed of two exons separated by an 81-bp intron. It codes for a 65-amino acid polypeptide comprising a plant type 1 MT-like N-terminal domain and a C-terminal domain that is most closely related to an as-yet-uncharacterized fungal MT. As revealed by heterologous complementation assays in yeast, GmarMT1 encodes a functional polypeptide capable of conferring increased tolerance against Cd and Cu. The GmarMT1 RNA is expressed in both presymbiotic spores and symbiotic mycelia, even in the absence of metal exposure, but is significantly less abundant in the latter stage. An opposite pattern was observed upon Cu exposure, which up-regulated GmarMT1 expression in symbiotic mycelia but not in germinated spores. Together, these data provide the first evidence, to our knowledge, for the occurrence in an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus of a structurally novel MT that is modulated in a metal and life cycle stage-dependent manner and may afford protection against heavy metals (and other types of stress) to both partners of the endomycorrhizal symbiosis.
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MESH Headings
- Adaptation, Physiological/genetics
- Adaptation, Physiological/physiology
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Base Sequence
- Cadmium/pharmacology
- Cloning, Molecular
- Copper/pharmacology
- Fungal Proteins/genetics
- Fungal Proteins/metabolism
- Fungi/drug effects
- Fungi/genetics
- Fungi/growth & development
- Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal/drug effects
- Genetic Complementation Test
- Metallothionein/genetics
- Metallothionein/metabolism
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Mycelium/drug effects
- Mycelium/genetics
- Mycelium/growth & development
- RNA, Messenger/drug effects
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
- Spores, Fungal/drug effects
- Spores, Fungal/genetics
- Spores, Fungal/growth & development
- Symbiosis/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Lanfranco
- Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Università di Torino and Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante-Sezione di Torino, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Viale Mattioli 25, 10125 Torino, Italy
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28
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Avery SV. Metal toxicity in yeasts and the role of oxidative stress. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2002; 49:111-42. [PMID: 11757348 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2164(01)49011-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S V Avery
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
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29
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Kim DY, Song WY, Yang YY, Lee Y. The role of PDR13 in tolerance to high copper stress in budding yeast. FEBS Lett 2001; 508:99-102. [PMID: 11707276 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-5793(01)03038-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
PDR13 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae contributes to drug resistance via sequential activation of PDR1 and PDR5. In this study, we found that a PDR13 deletion mutant was hypersensitive to Cu(2+) compared to the wild-type counterpart. The Cu(2+) tolerance mechanism mediated by Pdr13 does not seem to involve Pdr1 or Pdr5, since mutants harboring a deletion of either the PDR1 or PDR5 gene did not show elevated Cu(2+) sensitivity. Instead, we found that the PDR13 null mutant could not express CUP1 or CRS5 metallothionein at wild-type levels when subjected to high Cu(2+) stress. These results suggest that Pdr13 contributes to high Cu(2+) tolerance of S. cerevisiae, at least in part, via a mechanism involving metallothionein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Y Kim
- Division of Molecular Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, South Korea
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30
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Wong BS, Brown DR, Pan T, Whiteman M, Liu T, Bu X, Li R, Gambetti P, Olesik J, Rubenstein R, Sy MS. Oxidative impairment in scrapie-infected mice is associated with brain metals perturbations and altered antioxidant activities. J Neurochem 2001; 79:689-98. [PMID: 11701772 DOI: 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2001.00625.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Prion diseases are characterized by the conversion of the normal cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into a pathogenic isoform (PrP(Sc)). PrP(C) binds copper, has superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity in vitro, and its expression aids in the cellular response to oxidative stress. However, the interplay between PrPs (PrP(C), PrP(Sc) and possibly other abnormal species), copper, anti-oxidation activity and pathogenesis of prion diseases remain unclear. In this study, we reported dramatic depression of SOD-like activity by the affinity-purified PrPs from scrapie-infected brains, and together with significant reduction of Cu/Zn-SOD activity, correlates with significant perturbations in the divalent metals contents. We also detected elevated levels of nitric oxide and superoxide in the infected brains, which could be escalating the oxidative modification of cellular proteins, reducing gluathione peroxidase activity and increasing the levels of lipid peroxidation markers. Taken together, our results suggest that brain metal imbalances, especially copper, in scrapie infection is likely to affect the anti-oxidation functions of PrP and SODs, which, together with other cellular dysfunctions, predispose the brains to oxidative impairment and eventual degeneration. To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting a physiological connection between brain metals imbalances, the anti-oxidation function of PrP, and aberrations in the cellular responses to oxidative stress, in scrapie infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- B S Wong
- Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
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Saydam N, Georgiev O, Nakano MY, Greber UF, Schaffner W. Nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking of metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 is regulated by diverse stress signals. J Biol Chem 2001; 276:25487-95. [PMID: 11306562 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m009154200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF-1) is a key regulator of heavy metal-induced transcription of metallothionein I and II and other genes in mammals and other metazoans. Transcriptional activation of genes by MTF-1 is mediated through binding to metal-responsive elements of consensus TGCRCNC in the target gene promoters. In an attempt to further clarify the mechanisms by which certain external signals activate MTF-1 and in turn modulate gene transcription, we show here that human MTF-1 has a dual nuclear and cytoplasmic localization in response to diverse stress stimuli. MTF-1 contains a consensus nuclear localization signal located just N-terminal to the first zinc finger that contributes to but is not essential for nuclear import. MTF-1 also harbors a leucine-rich, nuclear export signal. Under resting conditions, the nuclear export signal is required for cytoplasmic localization of MTF-1 as indicated by mutational analysis and transfer to the heterologous green fluorescent protein. Export from the nucleus was inhibited by leptomycin B, suggesting the involvement of the nuclear export protein CRM1. Our results further show that in addition to the heavy metals zinc and cadmium, heat shock, hydrogen peroxide, low extracellular pH (pH 6.0), inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide, and serum induce nuclear accumulation of MTF-1. However, heavy metals alone (and not the other stress conditions) induce a significant transcriptional response via metal-responsive element promoter sequences, implying that nuclear import of MTF-1 is necessary but not sufficient for transcriptional activation. Possible roles for nuclear import under non-metal stress conditions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Saydam
- Institutes of Molecular Biology and Zoology, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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Borghouts C, Werner A, Elthon T, Osiewacz HD. Copper-modulated gene expression and senescence in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina. Mol Cell Biol 2001; 21:390-9. [PMID: 11134328 PMCID: PMC86578 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.21.2.390-399.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that the control of cellular copper homeostasis by the copper-modulated transcription factor GRISEA has an important impact on the phenotype and lifespan of Podospora anserina. Here we demonstrate that copper depletion leads to the induction of an alternative respiratory pathway and to an increase in lifespan. This response compensates mitochondrial dysfunctions via the expression of PaAox, a nuclear gene coding for an alternative oxidase. It resembles the retrograde response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In P. anserina, this pathway appears to be induced by specific impairments of the copper-dependent cytochrome c oxidase. It is not induced as the result of a general decline of mitochondrial functions during senescence. We cloned and characterized PaAox. Transcript levels are decreased when cellular copper, superoxide, and hydrogen peroxide levels are raised. Copper also controls transcript levels of PaSod2, the gene encoding the mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase (PaSOD2). PaSod2 is a target of transcription factor GRISEA. During the senescence of wild-type strain s, the activity of PaSOD2 decreases, whereas the activity of the cytoplasmic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (PaSOD1) increases. Collectively, the data explain the postponed senescence of mutant grisea as a defined consequence of copper depletion, ultimately leading to a reduction of oxidative stress. Moreover, they suggest that during senescence of the wild-type strain, copper is released from mitochondria. The involved mechanism is unknown. However, it is striking that the permeability of mitochondrial membranes in animal systems changes during apoptosis and that mitochondrial proteins with an important impact on this type of cellular death are released.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Borghouts
- Botanisches Institut, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, D-60439 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Abstract
The thiol redox status of intracellular and extracellular compartments is critical in the determination of protein structure, regulation of enzyme activity, and control of transcription factor activity and binding. Thiol antioxidants act through a variety of mechanisms, including (1) as components of the general thiol/disulfide redox buffer, (2) as metal chelators, (3) as radical quenchers, (4) as substrates for specific redox reactions (GSH), and (5) as specific reductants of individual protein disulfate bonds (thioredoxin). The composition and redox status of the available thiols in a given compartment is highly variable and must play a part in determining the metabolic activity of each compartment. It is generally beneficial to increase the availability of specific antioxidants under conditions of oxidant stress. Cells have devised a number of mechanisms to promote increased intracellular levels of thiols such as GSH and thioredoxin in response to a wide variety of stresses. Exogenous thiols have been used successfully to increase cell and tissue thiol levels in cell cultures, in animal models, and in humans. Increased levels of GSH and other thiols have been associated with increased tolerance to oxidant stresses in all of these systems and in some cases, with disease prevention or treatment in humans. A wide variety of thiol-related compounds have been used for these purposes. These include thiols such as GSH and its derivatives, cysteine and NAC, dithiols such as lipoic acid, which is reduced to the thiol form intracellularly, and "prothiol" compounds such as OTC, which are enzymatically converted to free thiols within the cell. In choosing a thiol for a specific function (e.g., protection of lung from oxidant exposure or protection of organs from ischemia reperfusion injury), the global effects must also be considered. For example, large increases in free thiols in the circulation are associated with toxic effects. These effects may be the result of thiyl radical-mediated reactions but could also be due to destabilizing effects of increases in thiol/disulfide ratios in the plasma, which normally is in a more oxidized state than intracellular compartments. Changes in the thiol redox gradient across cells could also adversely affect any transport or cell signaling processes, which are dependent on formation and rupture of disulfide linkages in membrane proteins. Therapeutic thiol administration has been shown to have great potential, and its efficacy should be increased by selecting compounds and methods of delivery that will minimize perturbations in the thiol status of regions external to the targeted areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Deneke
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases/Critical Care Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 78284, USA
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Weissman Z, Berdicevsky I, Cavari BZ, Kornitzer D. The high copper tolerance of Candida albicans is mediated by a P-type ATPase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2000; 97:3520-5. [PMID: 10737803 PMCID: PMC16272 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.97.7.3520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic yeast Candida albicans has higher resistance than the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to elevated concentrations of copper. To understand the basis of this differential resistance, we performed a functional screen for C. albicans genes involved in copper detoxification. Here, we report the isolation of two such genes: a metallothionein, CaCUP1, and a copper-transporting P-type ATPase, CaCRP1. Both genes are induced by extracellular copper. Gene disruptions indicated that the copper extrusion pump is responsible for the unusual resistance of C. albicans to copper, whereas the metallothionein is responsible for the residual copper resistance of the Cacrp1Delta mutant. We show further that under acidic and anaerobic conditions, such as prevail in the natural niche of C. albicans, the digestive tract of animals, CaCRP1 function becomes essential for survival in the presence of even very low copper concentrations. These observations suggest that copper in the gastrointestinal tract may present a toxic challenge to which enteric organisms had to adapt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Weissman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel
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Oh KB, Watanabe T, Matsuoka H. A novel copper-binding protein with characteristics of a metallothionein from a clinical isolate of Candida albicans. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 1999; 145 ( Pt 9):2423-2429. [PMID: 10517595 DOI: 10.1099/00221287-145-9-2423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
It is known that clinical isolates of Candida albicans exhibit a high level of resistance to copper salts, although the molecular basis of this resistance is not clear. To investigate this, a novel copper-binding protein was purified from a clinical isolate of C. albicans. The protein was extracted from yeast cells after an induction period of 10 h in a copper-containing suspension medium. It was further purified by size-exclusion chromatography, ultrafiltration and reverse-phase HPLC. All protein fractions were analysed for their protein and copper contents. The copper/protein ratio increased steadily throughout the purification process; the most highly purified fraction showed a 210-fold increase compared to the whole-cell extract, with a recovery of 0.03%. The molecular mass of the protein was 10,000 Da and a reconstitution study using the purified apoprotein suggested that the equivalent extent of Cu(I) binding was approximately 14 mol eq. The amino-terminal segment of the copper-binding protein revealed three Cys-Xaa-Cys motifs, which is typical of a metallothionein (MT), and showed significant homology with mammalian MTs with respect to the positions of the cysteine residues. This is the first report of the isolation of a copper-binding protein from C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Bong Oh
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan1
| | - Takahide Watanabe
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan1
| | - Hideaki Matsuoka
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan1
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