贝类镉胁迫功能基因研究进展

Advances in the studies on functional genes of molluscs under cadmium stress

贝类对重金属有较强的富集能力和耐受力,说明在贝类体内具有重金属积累、贮存和解毒的特殊机制,可能存在复杂的功能基因应激表达调控网络。近年来,国内外关于贝类镉胁迫功能基因的研究逐渐增多,主要有抗氧化酶、金属硫蛋白和热休克蛋白等,但相较于其它物种鉴定得到的功能基因数量还是太少、功能研究不够系统和深入。随着人们对环境保护和食品安全的重视,伴随着生命科学新技术的不断涌现,相关功能基因的研究也必将不断加深,而这对于更好的认识并掌握细胞生命活动的运作机制、弄清贝类重金属胁迫应激表达通路及分子调控网络,以及准确评价和预测重金属对水环境的影响具有非常重要的意义。

The safety of the sea food largely depends in the level of heavy metals accumulated in the body;which is determined by the content of heavy metals in the aquaculture environment. Cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal, is a common water pollutant. It is a worldwide risk affecting food and feed safety due to its long biological half-life resulting in accumulation and amplification in the body. Bivalve molluscs are filter-feeding sedentary species,especially prone to the accumulation and concentration of contaminants suggesting the existences of complex stress expression pathways and molecular regulation networks play very important roles in the heavy metal detoxify mechanism. In recent years, the research on functional genes including antioxidant enzyme, metallothionein, heat shock protein, etc. under cadmium stress is gradually increased. There are still lacks of more systematic and intensive research, new technology and new methods. However, with the development of society and human science, more and more attention is paid on food safety and environment protection and related research also will be deepened, these will eventually enrich our acknowledgement on mechanism of gene expression patterns and regulatory network under cadmium stress condition and provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of biological monitoring of water pollution.