Project description:Mesorhizobium metallidurans STM 2683 and Mesorhizobium sp. strain STM 4661 were isolated from nodules of the metallicolous legume Anthyllis vulneraria from distant mining spoils. They tolerate unusually high zinc and cadmium concentrations as compared to other mesorhizobia. This work aims to study the gene expression profiles associated with zinc or cadmium exposure and to identify genes involved in metal tolerance in these two metallicolous Mesorhizobium strains of interest for mine phytostabilization purposes.
Project description:Mesorhizobium metallidurans STM 2683 and Mesorhizobium sp. strain STM 4661 were isolated from nodules of the metallicolous legume Anthyllis vulneraria from distant mining spoils. They tolerate unusually high zinc and cadmium concentrations as compared to other mesorhizobia. This work aims to study the gene expression profiles associated with zinc or cadmium exposure and to identify genes involved in metal tolerance in these two metallicolous Mesorhizobium strains of interest for mine phytostabilization purposes. Mesorhizobium metallidurans STM 2683 and Mesorhizobium sp. strain STM 4661 with three treatments (control, Zn and Cd).
Project description:The aim of this study is to investigate whether the known mechanisms of hyperaccumulaion in Brassicaceae hyperaccumulators (Arabidopsis halleri and Noccaea caerulescens) are conserved among different hyperaccumulating species or if there exist unknown mechanismsin other metal hyperaccumulating species.The comparison of transcriptomes between hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola and non-hyperaccumulator S. alfredii (NHE) was performed by taking advantage of next-generation sequencing.The data suggested that increased active uptake, long-distance transport and efficient chelation of heavy metals might represent common mechanisms occurred in various hyperaccumulators. Moreover, we found that those genes showing constitutively higher expression in S. plumbizincicola shoots are significantly enriched in processes related to cell wall metabolism, including biosynthesis/modification of cellulose, lignin, pectin, glucan, and other cell wall related components.
Project description:Purpose: Zinc deficiency (ZnD) and iron deficiency (FeD), excess Zn (ZnE) and cadmium exposure (CdE) are major environmental problems for crop cultivation. Methods: Applying Tag-Seq technology to leaves of Brassica rapa grown under FeD, ZnD, ZnE or CdE conditions, with normal conditions as a control, we examined global gene expression changes and compared the expression patterns of multiple paralogs. Results: We identified 812, 543, 331 and 447 differentially expressed genes under FeD, ZnD, ZnE and CdE conditions, respectively, in B. rapa leaves.Further analysis revealed that genes associated with Zn, Fe and Cd responses tended to be over-retained in the B. rapa genome. Most of these multiple-copy genes showed the same direction of expression change under stress conditions. Conclusion: We conclude that the duplicated genes involved in trace element responses in B. rapa are functionally redundant, making the regulatory network more complex in B. rapa than in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Project description:Purpose: Zinc deficiency (ZnD) and iron deficiency (FeD), excess Zn (ZnE) and cadmium exposure (CdE) are major environmental problems for crop cultivation. Methods: Applying Tag-Seq technology to leaves of Brassica rapa grown under FeD, ZnD, ZnE or CdE conditions, with normal conditions as a control, we examined global gene expression changes and compared the expression patterns of multiple paralogs. Results: We identified 812, 543, 331 and 447 differentially expressed genes under FeD, ZnD, ZnE and CdE conditions, respectively, in B. rapa leaves.Further analysis revealed that genes associated with Zn, Fe and Cd responses tended to be over-retained in the B. rapa genome. Most of these multiple-copy genes showed the same direction of expression change under stress conditions. Conclusion: We conclude that the duplicated genes involved in trace element responses in B. rapa are functionally redundant, making the regulatory network more complex in B. rapa than in Arabidopsis thaliana. In total, there were 15 Digital gene expression libraries, one for each of the three replicates under the four trace metal element treatments and normal nutrient supply conditions as a control.
Project description:The impact of heavy-metal contamination on archaean communities was studied in soils amended with sewage sludge contaminated with heavy metals to varying extents. Fluorescent in situ hybridization showed a decrease in the percentage of Archaea from 1.3% +/- 0.3% of 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole-stained cells in untreated soil to below the detection limit in soils amended with heavy metals. A comparison of the archaean communities of the different plots by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis revealed differences in the structure of the archaean communities in soils with increasing heavy-metal contamination. Analysis of cloned 16S ribosomal DNA showed close similarities to a unique and globally distributed lineage of the kingdom Crenarchaeota that is phylogenetically distinct from currently characterized crenarchaeotal species.
Project description:Rhizosphere microbial community composition affects cadmium and zinc uptake of the metal-hyperaccumulating plant Arabidopsis halleri
Project description:Cadmium is an environmental pollutant and significant health hazard that is similar to the physiological metal zinc. In C. elegans high zinc homeostasis is regulated by the HIZR-1 nuclear receptor transcription factor. To define relationships between high zinc homeostasis and the response to cadmium, we identified 145 cadmium-regulated genes. hizr-1 was necessary for activation of a subset of genes, indicating there are at least two mechanisms of cadmium-regulated transcription. Cadmium directly bound HIZR-1, promoted nuclear accumulation of HIZR-1 in intestinal cells, and activated HIZR-1-mediated transcription via the HZA enhancer. Thus, cadmium binding promotes HIZR-1 activity, indicating that cadmium acts as a zinc mimetic to hijack the high zinc response. To elucidate the relationships between high zinc and cadmium detoxification, we analyzed three pathways: the phytochelatin pathway strongly promoted cadmium resistance but not high zinc resistance, the hizr-1 pathway strongly promoted high zinc resistance but not cadmium resistance, and the mek-1/sek-1 pathway promoted resistance to high zinc and cadmium. These studies identify resistance pathways that are specific for high zinc and cadmium as well as a shared pathway.
Project description:Background: Toxicogenomics provides new opportunities for innovative and proactive approaches to chemical screening, risk assessment, and predictive toxicology. If applied to ecotoxicology, genomics tools could greatly enhance the ability to detect toxicants and understand the modes of toxicity in an environmental setting. However, few studies have yet to illustrate the potential of genomic techniques in ecotoxicology. Objective: Therefore, our objective was to demonstrate the potential utility of gene expression profiling in ecotoxicology using Daphnia magna, a standard aquatic ecotoxicity test organism. Methods: D. magna were exposed to copper, cadmium, and zinc at the 1/10 LC50 for 24 hours. Following each exposure, RNA was isolated, reverse transcribed, and the cDNA was hybridized to a 5000 clone cDNA microarray for D. magna. Differentially expressed cDNAs were sequenced and homology searches revealed each gene product's potential function. Real time PCR was used to verify the differential expression of several genes, and enzyme assays were used to assess the significance of these changes. Results: We identified distinct expression profiles in response to acute copper, cadmium, and zinc exposures and discovered specific biomarkers of exposure including two probable metallothioneins, and a ferritin mRNA with a functional IRE. The gene expression patterns support known mechanisms of metal toxicity and reveal novel modes of action including zinc inhibition of chitinase activity. Conclusions: Using a cDNA microarray for traditional ecotoxicology organism, D. magna, we have identified novel biomarkers of exposure and revealed possible modes of toxicity, providing experimental support for the utility of ecotoxicogenomics. Keywords: comparative toxicant exposure
Project description:A series of leaching and partitioning tests (Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP), Controlled Acidity Leaching Protocol (CALP), Acid Neutralization Capacity (ANC), and sequential extraction) were applied to three different soils to study the potential mobility of metals into groundwater. Two of these soils were lead (Pb)-contaminated soils (Hotspot 1 and Hotspot 2) collected from an urban site associated with lead smelting and other industrial operations. The third sample (Stockpile) was soil affected by previous contamination in the area, removed from residential properties, stockpiled, and selected to be used as fill material in the studied site. The TCLP and CALP showed that Pb could be released from both hotspots, but were not released in the acidic rainfall extraction fluid of the SPLP. The sequential extraction showed that Pb in the hotspot soils was associated with the carbonate fraction, while As was associated with the Fe and Mn oxides. The stockpile released traces of Pb or As in the TCLP and CALP, but the ANC only released Pb under acidic conditions and the SPLP did not release Pb or As. Overall, the projected repository with Stockpile would not pose imminent danger to groundwater because, under the expected environmental conditions, Pb and As tend to remain in the solid phase.