Early defense responses in the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea exposed to copper and cadmium: Transcriptional and histochemical studies.

The aim of the present study was to measure the early effects of copper (10 and 50 μg L(-1)), cadmium (2, 10, and 50 μg L(-1)) and mixtures of these metals in the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea exposed for 12 h in laboratory. Transcription levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx), pi-class glutathione S-transferase (pi-GST), metallothionein (MT) in digestive gland and gills, and response of lysosomal system and neutral lipids in digestive gland were determined after the exposure period. Results showed that lysosomal system, neutral lipids content, and mRNA levels were modified, suggesting their early response against oxidative stress and their important role in cell integrity.

SOD and CAT cDNA cloning, and expression pattern of detoxification genes in the freshwater bivalve Unio tumidus transplanted into the Moselle river.

The cDNA sequences encoding manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) and catalase (CAT) were isolated in the freshwater bivalve Unio tumidus by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using degenerate primers. Quantitative real-time PCR approach was used to evaluate the mRNA expression patterns of SOD, CAT, selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx), pi class glutathione S-transferase (pi-GST) and metallothionein (MT), in the digestive gland of Unio tumidus transplanted from a control site to four stations in the Moselle River (M1-M4), for periods of 8 and 21 days. These sites were chosen upstream and downstream of populated areas.

Metallothionein coding sequence identification and seasonal mRNA expression of detoxification genes in the bivalve Corbicula fluminea.

The aim of this study was to identify a metallothionein (MT) coding sequence from the freshwater bivalve Corbicula fluminea and to measure the seasonal transcriptional pattern of MT in parallel with several detoxification genes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferases (GST) and glutathione peroxidases (GPx), in the digestive gland and the gills of this bivalve during a 1-year period. We identified a C. fluminea MT complete cDNA sequence using RT-PCR and RACE-PCR.

Molecular cloning and expression study of pi-class glutathione S-transferase (pi-GST) and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GPx) transcripts in the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha.

Glutathione S-transferases (GST) and glutathione peroxidases (GPx) are essential components of cellular detoxification systems. We identified GST and GPx transcripts in the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha, their full-length coding sequences were obtained by reverse-transcription PCR using degenerated primers followed by 5' and 3' RACE-PCR (rapid amplification of cDNA ends-PCR). The cDNA identified encoded proteins of 205 and 243 amino acids corresponding respectively to a pi-class GST and a selenium-dependent GPx.

Effect of the herbicide flumioxazin on photosynthetic performance of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.).

Among the herbicides used in vineyards, the pre-emergence soil-applied flumioxazin (fmx) is a recently used molecule that inhibits chlorophyll biosynthesis in weed species. The aim of this work is to further characterize the effects of fmx on the non-target grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv.