Environmental Pollutants Impair Transcriptional Regulation of the Vitellogenin Gene in the Burrowing Mud Crab (Macrophthalmus Japonicus)

Vitellogenesis is a pivotal reproductive process of the yolk formation in crustaceans. Vitellogenin (VTG) is the precursor of main yolk proteins and synthesized by endogenous estrogens. The intertidal mud crab (Macrophthalmus japonicus) inhabits sediment and is a good indicator for assessing polluted benthic environments. The purpose of this study was to identify potential responses of M. japonicus VTG under environmental stresses caused by chemical pollutants, such as 1, 10, and 30 µg L−1 concentrations in di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), bisphenol A (BPA) and irgarol. We characterized the M. japonicus VTG gene and analyzed the transcriptional expression of VTG mRNA in M. japonicus exposed to various chemicals and exposure periods. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the M. japonicus VTG clustered closely with Eriocheir sinensis (Chinese mitten crab) VTG, in contrast with another clade that included the VTG ortholog of other crabs. The basal level of VTG expression was the highest in the hepatopancreas and ovaries, and tissues. VTG expression significantly increased in the ovaries and hepatopancreas after 24 h exposure to DEHP. Increased responses of VTG transcripts were found in M. japonicus exposed to DEHP and BPA for 96 h; however, VTG expression decreased in both tissues after irgarol exposure. After an exposure of 7 d, VTG expression significantly increased in the ovaries and hepatopancreas for all concentrations of all chemicals. These results suggest that the crustacean embryogenesis and endocrine processes are impaired by the environmental chemical pollutants DEHP, BPA, and irgarol.

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Understanding and forecasting dispersal of non-indigenous marine decapods (Crustacea: Decapoda) in East European and North Asian waters

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315417000169 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 97 (3) ◽

pp. 591-611 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Vassily A. Spiridonov ◽

Anna K. Zalota

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Barents Sea ◽

Eriocheir Sinensis ◽

Biological Data ◽

Snow Crab ◽

Invasion History ◽

Crab Species ◽

Mud Crab ◽

East Europe ◽

Mitten Crab

A survey of publications and collections databases reveals a pattern of non-indigenous decapods distribution in the 13 seas around Russia and adjacent countries. No alien species were reported from Russian territorial waters and exclusive economic zone in the Japan, Okhotsk, west Bering and most of the Siberian shelf Seas. From the seas and their basins in East Europe, 13 alien species have been recorded, with seven of these yet to become established. Established or commonly occurring species can be categorized as: ‘global invaders’ (Chinese mitten crab,Eriocheir sinensisin the White, Baltic, Black, Azov and Caspian Seas; and Harris mud crab,Rhithropanopeus harrisiiin all mentioned seas, except the White Sea); ‘regional aliens’ (Palaemon adspersusandP. elegansin the Caspian Sea and the latter species in the Baltic); and ‘Arctic invaders’ (Kamchatka king crabParalithodes camtschaticusand snow crabChionoecetes opilio).Eriocheir sinensisis the most widely occurring alien decapod species, but there are no indications of an established population in East Europe. For this and other mentioned crab species, invasion history, distribution and important biological data are reviewed. In the seas where few or no native crab species have been present, Harris mud crab (in the Azov and Caspian Seas), Kamchatka crab (in the Barents Sea) and snow crab (in the Barents and Kara Seas) have shown rapid establishment (within two decades) of an invasive population throughout an entire basis or its significant part.

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Effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on Transcriptional Expression of Cellular Protection-Related HSP60 and HSP67B2 Genes in the Mud Crab Macrophthalmus japonicus

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app10082766 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 2766 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kiyun Park ◽

Won-Seok Kim ◽

Ihn-Sil Kwak

Keyword(s):

Heat Shock ◽

Heat Shock Protein ◽

Toxic Substances ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Heat Shock Protein 60 ◽

Mud Crab ◽

Cellular Protection ◽

Messenger Ribonucleic Acid ◽

Macrophthalmus Japonicus ◽

Ethylhexyl Phthalate

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) has attracted attention as an emerging dominant phthalate contaminant in marine sediments. Macrophthalmus japonicus, an intertidal mud crab, is capable of tolerating variations in water temperature and sudden exposure to toxic substances. To evaluate the potential effects of DEHP toxicity on cellular protection, we characterized the partial open reading frames of the stress-related heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) and small heat shock protein 67B2 (HSP67B2) genes of M. japonicus and further investigated the molecular effects on their expression levels after exposure to DEHP. Putative HSP60 and small HSP67B2 proteins had conserved HSP-family protein sequences with different C-terminus motifs. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that M. japonicus HSP60 (Mj-HSP60) and M. Japonicus HSP67B2 (Mj-HSP67B2) clustered closely with Eriocheir sinensis HSP60 and Penaeus vannamei HSP67B2, respectively. The tissue distribution of Heat shock proteins (HSPs) was the highest in the gonad for Mj-HSP60 and in the hepatopancreas for Mj-HSP67B2. The expression of Mj-HSP60 Messenger Ribonucleic Acid (mRNA) increased significantly at day 1 after exposure to all doses of DEHP, and then decreased in a dose-dependent and exposure time-dependent manner in the gills and hepatopancreas. Mj-HSP67B2 transcripts were significantly upregulated in both tissues at all doses of DEHP and at all exposure times. These results suggest that cellular immune protection could be disrupted by DEHP toxicity through transcriptional changes to HSPs in crustaceans. Small and large HSPs might be differentially involved in responses against environmental stressors and in detoxification in M. japonicus crabs.

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