PUBLICATION
Enhancing the tolerance of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to heavy metal toxicity by the expression of plant phytochelatin synthase
- Authors
- Konishi, T., Matsumoto, S., Tsuruwaka, Y., Shiraki, K., Hirata, K., Tamaru, Y., and Takagi, M.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-060207-1
- Date
- 2006
- Source
- Journal of Biotechnology 122(3): 316-325 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Tamaru, Yutaka
- Keywords
- Cadmium, Detoxification, Glutathione, Phytochelatin, Phytochelatin synthase, Zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Aminoacyltransferases/genetics*
- Aminoacyltransferases/metabolism
- Animals
- Arabidopsis/enzymology*
- Cadmium/toxicity*
- Drug Tolerance
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
- Gene Expression
- Glutathione/metabolism
- Larva/drug effects
- Larva/metabolism
- Phytochelatins
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Survival Rate
- Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
- Zebrafish*/embryology
- Zebrafish*/genetics
- Zebrafish*/metabolism
- PubMed
- 16442656 Full text @ J. Biotechnol.
Citation
Konishi, T., Matsumoto, S., Tsuruwaka, Y., Shiraki, K., Hirata, K., Tamaru, Y., and Takagi, M. (2006) Enhancing the tolerance of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to heavy metal toxicity by the expression of plant phytochelatin synthase. Journal of Biotechnology. 122(3):316-325.
Abstract
Phytochelatin synthase (PC synthase) catalyzes a biosynthesis of phytochelatins (PCs), which are small molecules and glutathione (GSH)-derived metal-binding peptides that are essential for the detoxification of heavy metal ions in plants, fungi and worms. In order to enhance tolerance to heavy metal cytotoxicity, mRNA coding for PC synthase from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPCS1) was introduced into the early embryos of zebrafish. As a result, the heterogeneous expression of PC synthase and the synthesis of PCs from GSH in embryos could be detected. The developing embryos expressing PC synthase (PC-embryos) became more tolerant to Cd toxicity (500muM exposure). PC-embryos had significantly longer apparent lethal times for 50% of the population (LT50) of 8.17+/-1.08 days, although control embryos had apparent LT50 of 5.43+/-0.66 days. These data suggest that PC synthase can function in developmental zebrafish, and that PCs are highly effective in detoxifying Cd toxicity even in the whole body of a vertebrate species.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping