Molecular and organism biomarkers of copper pollution in the ascidian Pseudodistoma crucigaster

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 48; no. 7; pp. 759 - 767
• Main Authors: Agell, G., Turon, X., De Caralt, S., López-Legentil, S., Uriz, M.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Ascidiacea; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay; Biomarkers; Blotting, Western; Colonial ascidians; Copper - analysis; Copper - toxicity; Cu pollution; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Fluorescence; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heat-Shock Proteins - biosynthesis; Hsp; Marine; Mass Spectrometry; Mediterranean Sea; Natural toxicity; Pseudodistoma crucigaster; Toxicity Tests; Urochordata - drug effects; Urochordata - growth & development; Urochordata - metabolism; Vibrio - metabolism; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Mediterranean Sea; Biomarkers; Cu pollution; Hsp; Natural toxicity; Colonial ascidians; Pseudodistoma crucigaster; Community structure; Growth rate; Stress protein; Growth; Metabolite; Biological marker; Increase; Prochordata; Heavy metal; Urochordata; Sensitivity resistance; Heat shock protein; Water pollution; Invertebrata; Copper; Degradation product
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2003.11.001

We studied the effects of pollution in the colonial ascidian Pseudodistoma crucigaster at organismal and suborganismal levels. Our goal was to find early biomarkers to detect some effect of pollution before changes in community structure or species composition occur. We examined the effect of Cu on the production of heat-shock proteins, defence metabolites, growth rates and presence of resistance forms. We performed a transplant experiment to a Cu polluted harbour and observed negative growth and presence of resistance forms but not depressed production of toxic metabolites or an increase in stress proteins (hsp) in the ascidian. In a laboratory experiment, stress proteins were induced only under half the Cu concentration found in the harbour. We conclude that hsp can be used in this ascidian as an early warning system for sublethal pollution but that the response is inhibited above a threshold of the stressing agent, which may vary among species.