Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Playing in the Mud-Using Gene Expression to Assess Contaminant Effects on Sediment Dwelling Invertebrates

  • Published:
Ecotoxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bioaccumulation and toxicity tests using benthic invertebrates such as the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus are typically used to assess the ecological risk associated with contaminated sediments. Despite their ecological and regulatory importance, little is known about such species at the genetic level. To begin understanding cellular and genetic responses of L. plumulosus to contaminants, we isolated several of their genes and developed quantitative assays to measure the effects of water exposures to 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene and phenanthrene on gene expression. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays demonstrated that the expression of the genes for actin and a retrotransposon, hopper, was dependent on the exposure and tissue concentrations of those chemicals. Our data suggests that exposure to the explosive 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene and phenanthrene may induce movement of hopper resulting in unexpected genotoxic results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bustin, S.A. (2000). Absolute quantification of mRNA using realtime reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. J. Mol. Endocrinol. 25(2), 169-93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emery, V.L. Jr., Moore, D.W., Gray, B.R., Duke, B.M., Gibson, A.B., Wright, R.B. and Farrar, J.D. (1997). Development of a chronic sublethal sediment bioassay using the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus (Shoemaker). Environ. Toxic. Chem. 16, 1912-20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gahan, L.J., Gould, F. and Heckel, D.G. (2001). Identification of a gene associated with Bt resistance in Heliothis virescens. Science 293, 857-60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, B.R., Emery, V.L., Brandon, D.L., Wright, R.B., Duke, B.M., Farrar, J.D. and Moore, D.W. (1998). Selection of optimal measures of growth and reproduction for the sublethal Leptocheirus plumulosus sediment bioassay. Environ. Tox. Chem. 17, 2288-97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, A., Moore, D. and Farrar, D. (1999). Chronic toxicity of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene to a marine polychaete and an estuarine amphipod. Environ. Tox. Chem. 18, 1783-90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagan, C.R. and Rudin, C.M. (2002). Mobile genetic element activation and genotoxic cancer therapy: potential clinical implications. Am. J. Pharmacogenomics 2, 25-35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathias, S.L. and Scott, A.F. (1993). Promoter binding proteins of an active human L1 retrotransposon. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 191, 625-32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miki, Y., Nishisho, I., Horii, A., Miyoshi, Y., Utsunomiya, J., Kinzler, K.W., Vogelstein, B. and Nakamura, Y. (1992). Disruption of the APC gene by a retrotransposal insertion of L1 sequence in a colon cancer. Cancer Res. 52, 643-5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrish, T.A., Gilbert, N., Myers, J.S., Vincent, B.J., Stamato, T.D., Taccioli, G.E., Batzer, M.A. and Moran, J.V. (2002). DNA repair mediated by endonuclease-independent LINE-1 retrotransposition. Nat. Genet. 31, 159-65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Speek, M. (2001). Antisense promoter of human L1 retrotransposon drives transcription of adjacent cellular genes. Mol. Cell. Biol. 21, 1973-85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, R.O., Bush, K.T. and Nigam, S.K. (2001). Changes in global gene expression patterns during development and maturation of the rat kidney. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98, 5649-54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teng, S.C., Kim, B. and Gabriel, A. (1996). Retrotransposon reverse-transcriptase-mediated repair of chromosomal breaks. Nature 383, 641-4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, A., Jasin, M. and Chartrand, P. (2000). A double-strand break in a chromosomal LINE element can be repaired by gene conversion with various endogenous LINE elements in mouse cells. Mol. Cell. Biol. 20, 54-60.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2001). Method for assessing the chronic toxicity of marine and estuaruine sediment-associated contaminants with the amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus, EPA 600/R-01/020, US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers: Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA/USACE (1998). Evaluation of dredged material proposed for discharge in waters of the US testing manual, EPA-823-B-004, US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers: Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, D. and Bownes, M. (1998). The RNA product of the Doc retrotransposon is localized on the Drosophila oocyte cytoskeleton. Mol. Gen. Genet. 257, 497-504.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Laboratory, Engineer Research and Development Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS, 39180, USA

    Edward J. Perkins & Guilherme R. Lotufo

Authors
  1. Edward J. Perkins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guilherme R. Lotufo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edward J. Perkins.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Perkins, E.J., Lotufo, G.R. Playing in the Mud-Using Gene Expression to Assess Contaminant Effects on Sediment Dwelling Invertebrates. Ecotoxicology 12, 453–456 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ECTX.0000003029.70980.2f

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ECTX.0000003029.70980.2f

Search

Navigation