Biochemical markers of pollutant responses in macrozoobenthos from the White Sea: Intracellular proteolysis

Integrative Biomarker Indices in a Benthic Indicator Species Modiolus Modiolus (L.) Under a Simulated Oil Spill

“…modiolus gill than in hepatopancreas. An increase in total calcium-dependent proteolytic capacity is considered a non-specific response to pollutants and natural stressors; similar patterns of calpain activity were found in mussels M. edulis experimentally treated with oil PAHs [9] and inhabiting the White Sea coastal zones with complex anthropogenic pollution, particularly oil contamination [14]. Specific calpain activity patterns correlating with accumulated oil have not been shown; however, calpain activity generally responds in a complicated manner, as calpains are involved in various intracellular functions.…”

“…Although the hepatopancreas is recognized as a main hydrocarbon storage site in mussels [25], the defense responses in gill develop earlier than in hepatopancreas apparently indicating a primary path of contaminant uptake through the gill. The results obtained indicate that a benthic species M. modiolus responds to crude oil less than littoral M. edulis to the same exposure [14]. Coping with multiple stressors, a marine littoral species, M. edulis, has well-developed compensatory mechanisms to tolerate xenobiotics as well; in contrast, the adaptive response occurs in a relatively long-time frame in benthic species, like M. modiolus.…”

“…The concentration of reduced glutathione was determined using 0.01% o-phthalaldehyde after precipitation of the soluble proteins by 5% TCA with fluorescence (Em 420 nm, Ex 350 nm) [13]. Cathepsin B (CatB) peptidase activity (AU) was measured by the hydrolysis of 65 mM ethyl ether D-benzoyl L-arginine hydrochloride (BAEE) [14]. Cathepsin D (CatD) proteolytic activity (AU) was assessed with 1.0% bovine serum hemoglobin hydrolysis [14].…”

“…Cathepsin B (CatB) peptidase activity (AU) was measured by the hydrolysis of 65 mM ethyl ether D-benzoyl L-arginine hydrochloride (BAEE) [14]. Cathepsin D (CatD) proteolytic activity (AU) was assessed with 1.0% bovine serum hemoglobin hydrolysis [14]. Calpain activity (AU) was measured by amino acid content produced via calcium-dependent casein hydrolysis [15].…”

Interspecies comparison of selected pollution biomarkers in dreissenid spp. inhabiting pristine and moderately polluted sites

“…Interpretations of biomarker responses in environmental monitoring were therefore refined by focused research on bivalves' biological cycles and the seasonal variation of biomarkers' baseline levels (Sheehan and Power, 1999;Minier et al, 2000;Shaw et al, 2004;Depledge, 2009;Faria et al, 2014). While seasonality, reproduction status and food availability as confounding factors were addressed in several studies (Viarengo et al, 2007;Sheehan and Power, 1999;Shaw et al, 2004;Kopecka and Pempkowiak, 2008;Nahrgang et al, 2010;Faria et al, 2014), the relevance of interspecies variability of biomarker alterations to pollution were far less investigated (Habig and Di Giulio, 1991;Corsi et al, 2007;Lysenko et al, 2014). Evaluation of the interspecies variability of biomarker baseline levels in sentinel organisms is particularly justified when, due to bioinvasion, the gradual displacement of established populations by new invaders occurs, and the quality status of the habitats of concern is regularly assessed by biomonitoring techniques built on established sentinel species.…”