Metallothionein Isoforms in Mytilus edulis (Mollusca, Bivalvia): Complementary DNA Characterization and Quantification of Expression in Different Organs after Exposure to Cadmium, Zinc, and Copper

• Published in: Marine biotechnology (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 195 - 203
• Main Authors: Lemoine, S, Bigot, Y, Sellos, D, Cosson, RP, Laulier, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 01.03.2000
• Subjects: Amino acids; Biomarkers; Body organs; Cadmium; Cloning; Complementary DNA; Copper; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Gene expression; Heavy metals; Isoforms; Libraries; Mantle; Marine; Marine molluscs; Metallothionein; Metallothioneins; Metals; Mollusks; Mytilus edulis; Nitrogen; Nucleic acids; Nucleotide sequence; Organs; PCR; Polymerase chain reaction; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA-directed DNA polymerase; Salts; Zinc
• ISSN: 1436-2228; 1436-2236
• DOI: 10.1007/s101269900026

Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction has been used to isolate one metallothionein isoform (MT-20) complementary DNA from RNA extracted from mussel gill. Another cDNA, isolated by screening a Mytilus edulis cDNA mantle library using the first cDNA as probe, codes for the MT-10 IV isoform. Northern blot analysis using these cDNAs revealed different expression of these isoforms. Induction with CdC1(2) caused high levels of both MT messenger RNAs, especially the MT-20, which was induced by cadmium salt but not by zinc and copper salts. An induction of MT-10 was detected with ZnCl(2). These results show that genes encoding distinct MT isoforms are differentially regulated by heavy metals.