Metabolic and molecular stress responses of the gilthead seabream Sparus aurata during long-term exposure to increasing temperatures

Tolerance to a changing climate regime and persistence in the natural environment depends on the limited capacity to acclimate to changing temperatures. The present study aimed to identify and characterize thermal limits of the Mediterranean fish Sparus aurata as well as the processes providing heat protection during exposure to high temperatures. Processes studied included heat shock protein expression, protein kinase activity and metabolic adjustments. Molecular responses were addressed through the expression of Hsp70 and Hsp90 and the phosphorylation of stress-activated protein kinases, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and cJun-N-terminal kinases (JNKs). Thermal impacts on metabolic capacities were assessed by studying the maximum activities of citrate synthase (CS), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (HOAD) as well as pyruvate kinase (PK) and lactate dehydrogenase (L-LDH). The expression of Hsp70 and hsp90 was activated when the fish were exposed to temperatures beyond 20°C. Increased phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and JNKs indicated the parallel activation of MAPK signaling cascades and the potential involvement of MAPKs in the induction of Hsp genes. Exposure to extreme temperatures beyond 24°C caused an increase in the enzymatic activity of PK and LDH indicating an enhanced glycolytic potential.     

Effects of a phycotoxin,okadaic acid,on oyster heart cell survival

Okadaic acid (OA) is a dinoflagellate toxin which accumulates in shellfish producing diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) in humans. It was found that OA is a highly selective inhibitor of protein phosphatase types 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A) which produces a marked increase in phosphorylation of several proteins, including p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. The cytotoxicity attributed to OA and the effects on p38 MAP kinase and calcium current were examined in the oyster Crassostrea gigas in this study. Data showed that p38 MAP kinase is strongly expressed in oyster heart and that OA bioaccumulated in cultured heart cells. Hence the effects of OA was tested in vitro and in vivo on oysters. OA was found to (i) exert a positive chronotropic effect on cultured atrial cardiomyocytes which is related to an increase in calcium current via PKC as shown by patch clamp measurements, (ii) produce an activation/phosphorylation of MAP kinase as shown by Westernblot while the non-phosphorylated p38 remained constant during treatment, (iii) did not induce a pro-apoptotic effect. Data suggest that OA may also stimulate the anti-apoptotic pathway by phosphatase inhibition.     

Protein kinase C and ion transport in the posterior gills of the Chinese crabEriocheir sinensis

The possible involvement of protein kinase C in control of ion transport was investigated on a preparation of isolated, perfused posterior gills of the Chinese crabsEriocheir sinensis (collected in 1989 from lakes near Emden, northern Germany) acclimated to fresh water. 1-oleyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), two activators of protein kinase C, when added to the perfusion saline, induced depolarisation of the transepithelial potential difference (PD) and an increase in transepithelial Na⁺ influx. The observed increase was proportional to OAG concentration up to 250µM, with a 2.5× accelerated Na⁺ influx. OAG and PMA remained without effect on Cl^– fluxes. The observed effects were in agreement with an activation, via protein kinase C, of the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase located on the serosal side of the epithelium.     

5氟尿嘧啶对蛋白核小球藻和羊角月芽藻生长及叶绿素含量的影响

近年来,抗癌药的环境污染特征及其生态风险引起了广泛关注。为获取典型抗癌药5氟尿嘧啶的基础生态毒性数据,以蛋白核小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidosa)和羊角月芽藻(Selenastrum capricornutum)为受试生物,考察了5氟尿嘧啶对2种绿藻的生长和叶绿素含量的影响。结果表明,5氟尿嘧啶对蛋白核小球藻和羊角月芽藻的生长具有抑制作用,随着暴露浓度升高,细胞生长抑制率增强。5氟尿嘧啶对2种绿藻的96 h半数抑制浓度(EC50)分别为450.36 mg·L~(-1)和692.30 mg·L~(-1),属于低毒性物质。暴露96 h后,低浓度5氟尿嘧啶(32 mg·L~(-1))对蛋白核小球藻和羊角月芽藻叶绿素含量有一定的促进作用,高浓度5氟尿嘧啶(32~500 mg·L~(-1))则抑制了2种绿藻的叶绿素含量,且两者具有明显的负相关关系。和叶绿素b相比,叶绿素a对5氟尿嘧啶胁迫更为敏感。     

砷浓度、形态及碳酸氢盐对蜈蚣草吸收砷的影响

为了探讨超富集植物蜈蚣草在处理高砷地下水方面的可行性,研究了水培条件下砷的浓度、形态和碳酸氢盐(HCO-3)对超富集植物蜈蚣草吸收砷的影响。实验中使用了浓度为0.1～100mg·L-1的As(III)和As(V)溶液。HCO-3处理中,HCO-3浓度范围为0.5～20mmol·L-1,As(III)或As(V)的浓度为5mg·L-1。结果表明,在水培条件下,蜈蚣草具有明显的耐高砷特征。当介质砷含量高达100mg·L-1时,砷的去除率可达到80%,且对As(III)的吸收效率高于As(V)。植物体内砷形态研究表明,蜈蚣草体内2种形态砷的含量与外源砷形态有一定的关系,As(V)处理条件下,植物体中的As(V)比例较As(III)处理高。高浓度的HCO-3(20mmol·L-1)处理对蜈蚣草地上部分生物量没有明显影响,但是抑制了地下部分的生长,并且对砷的吸收表现出明显的抑制作用。     

砷浓度、形态及碳酸氢盐对蜈蚣草吸收砷的影响

大同盆地是典型的高砷地下水分布区。利用从地方性砷中毒严重病区山阴县采集的高砷地下水样品,用稀释培养法实验研究了外加砷源对地下水中微生物数量的影响;同时基于生物学可培养法和16S rDNA序列比对法,选取代表性高砷水样,研究了耐砷菌的种群特征。结果表明,外加砷源对地下水中微生物数量影响显著,高浓度砷会抑制大部分微生物生长,使微生物数量减少;低浓度砷对微生物生长具有一定促进作用。通过多次分离、纯化从3个不同砷含量地下水样中分离到多株砷抗性菌,经鉴定属于主要为Bacillus、Pseudomonas、Paenibacillus、Aeromonas、Enterobacter5个属。从RDP(Ribosomal Database Project)分析显示3个水样可培养微生物组成不同,都有生存能力强能够耐低浓度NaAsO₂的Bacillales,优势耐砷菌是γ-proteobacteria,其中Enterbacter具有耐高浓度NaAsO₂的能力。     

Biochemical and cytological bases of metamorphosis in Hydractinia echinata

Larvae of the marine hydroid Hydractinia echinata Fleming are induced to settle and metamorphose by contact with bacteria of the genus Alteromonas espejiana (Leitz and Wagner 1992). In previous studies the biochemical mechanism for the activation of the larvae was found to include the signal transduction pathway via the phosphatidylinositol cycle and a role for a kinase C-like enzyme was established. In the present investigation laboratory-reared larvae were immunohistochemically stained with antibodies against kinase C and experiments were conducted to investigate protein phosphorylation during initial metamorphic events. A polyclonal antibody against a synthetic peptide derived from a conserved retion of kinases C binds to an antigen in neurosensory cells of the anterior part of the larvae and corresponding nerve fibres. The Western blot reveals major binding to a protein of M_r (relative molecular mass)=67 and two minor bands at M_r=66 and 48. Assays in vivo show that 3 to 25 min after induction of metamorphosis the phosphorylation of a protein with M_r=30 is enhanced. A hypothesis about the mechanism of induction at the cellular and biochemical level is presented which combines most of the ideas now available from our and other groups.     

Respiration and excretion rates of Calanus glacialis in arctic waters of the Barents Sea

The respiration and excretion rates of Calanus glacialis (Jaschnov) Copepodite Stages III, IV, V, and adult females from the drift-ice area east of Svalbard (Barents Sea) were measured in shipboard experiments during the period from 27 May to 13 June, 1983. The phytoplankton biomass and abundance varied considerably between localities, but these variations were not generally reflected in the respiration and excretion rates of the copepod. The respiration and excretion rates of C. glacialis at the ambient temperature of-1.8°C (average respiration rates of 0.95, 0.73, 0.57, and 0.60 l O₂ mg^-1 dry wt h^-1 for Copepodite Stage III, IV, V, and adult females, respectively) were similar to those previously reported for other large-sized copepods from cold or temperate areas. Average respiration and excretion rates tended to decrease with incubation time or time after capture. Measurements on ten occasions within a period of 27 h after capture revealed excretion rates of ammonium ranging between 2.9 and 16.8 for C III, 3.7 and 21.1 for C IV, 1.3 and 28.4 for C V, and 1.6 and 18.7 for adult females, all expressed as nmol mg^-1 dry wt h^-1. In all experiments, excretion rates of inorganic phosphate varied between 0.7 and 1.5 (C III), 0.5 and 1.1 (C IV), 0.2 and 0.8 (C V), and 0.3 and 1.0 (adult females) nmol mg^-1 dry wt h^-1. Ratios of O:N, O:P, and N:P indicated that much of the metabolic energy was derived from catabolism of proteins. Comparison of the turnover rate of carbon and nitrogen showed, however, that nitrogen turnover was between 2.6 and 8.9 times higher than that of carbon. This may indicate that the copepods deaminate ingested protein, with the carbon skeleton of the amino acids subsequently being used in the synthesis of lipid compounds, possibly wax esters.     

Absence of metallothionein 3 expression in breast cancer is a rare but favorable marker that is under epigenetic control

Cadmium (Cd²⁺), a known carcinogen, mimics the effects of estrogen in the uterus and mammary gland suggesting its possible involvement in the development and progression of breast cancer. This lab showed through analysis of a small set of archival human diagnostic specimens that the third isoform of the classic Cd²⁺ binding protein metallothionein (MT-3) is not expressed in normal breast tissue, but is expressed in some breast cancers and that expression tends to correlate with a poor disease outcome. The goals of this study were to verify that overexpression of MT-3 in a large set of archival human diagnostic specimens tends to correlate with poor disease outcome and define the mechanism of MT-3 gene regulation in the normal breast epithelial cell. The results showed that MT-3 was expressed in approximately 90% of all breast cancers and was absent in normal breast epithelium. The lack of MT-3 staining in some cancers correlated with a favorable patient outcome. High frequency of MT-3 staining was also found for in situ breast cancer suggesting that MT-3 might be an early biomarker for breast cancer. The study also demonstrated that the MCF-10A cell line, an immortalized, non-tumorigenic model of human breast epithelial cells, displayed no basal expression of MT-3, nor was it induced by Cd²⁺. Treatment of the MCF-10A cells with the demethylation agent, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine, or the histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, restored MT-3 mRNA expression. It was also shown that the MT-3 metal regulatory elements are potentially active binders of protein factors following treatment with these inhibitors suggesting that MT-3 expression may be subject to epigenetic regulation.     

四溴双酚A对赤子爱胜蚓的生长和基因表达的影响

试验采用人工土壤法,通过14 d急性毒性试验,研究了不同剂量TBBPA对赤子爱胜蚓(Eisenia fetida)生长、基因表达的影响。在14 d急性毒性试验中,随着暴露时间和浓度的增加,蚯蚓生长受到了显著抑制,未出现死亡现象。超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的基因表达量在低浓度(50 mg·kg-1)时受到诱导上调;谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)的基因表达量在400 mg·kg-1染毒组受到明显诱导,是对照组的8.73倍;热休克蛋白(Hsp70)的基因表达量在50、100和200 mg·kg-1染毒组被诱导上调。基因表达量的变化显示,在50、100、200 mg·kg-1浓度条件下,蚯蚓可以利用自身的抗氧化能力维持体内的动态平衡稳定,使得机体免受损伤。但是在超过400 mg·kg-1浓度后,TBBPA的毒性效应超过了机体的应对能力,使机体遭受损伤,外在特征主要表现为蚯蚓身体蜷缩、变细变硬。从生物标志物角度,基因表达量的变化对TBBPA毒性效应的指示作用较生长抑制率更为敏感。     

Toxic effects of realgar transforming solution on the reproduction of Caenorhabditis elegans

Realgar transforming solution is an arsenic formulation which has shown anticancer effects with low toxicity both in vivo and in vitro. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans was used to evaluate its reproductive toxicity and its possible mechanisms. Realgar transforming solution decreased the brood size and induced proliferation arrest and apoptosis significantly only at an elemental concentration of 37.5 mg/L, while arsenic trioxide reduced the brood sizes and induced proliferation arrest and apoptosis of both the wild type N2 and let-60 ras(gf) mutant worms in an arsenic concentration dependent manner. Mitogen-activated protein kinase and protein p53 pathways may be involved in reproductive toxicity as evidenced by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, RNA interference, and inhibition experiments with mitogen-activated protein kinases and p53. In conclusion, realgar transforming solution at the low arsenic (As) concentrations showed lower reproductive toxicity than arsenic trioxide, and a different molecular mechanism of reproductive toxicity is suggested.     

Branchial and intestinal osmoregulatory acclimation in the four-eyed sleeper, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bostrychus sinensis</Emphasis> (Lacepède), exposed to seawater

Bostrychus sinensis is a facultative air breather that inhabits waters of a wide range of salinities. This study aimed to elucidate whether branchial and intestinal osmoregulatory acclimation occurred in B. sinensis transferred from 5‰ water through a progressive increase in salinities to seawater. Our results indicate that B. sinensis acted as a hyperosmotic regulator in 5‰ water, but exhibited hypoosmotic hypoionic regulation in seawater. During short- (1 day) and medium- (10 days) term acclimation to seawater, there were only minor perturbations in plasma osmolality and [Na⁺], which returned to control levels after 45 days of exposure to seawater. Branchial Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity was unaffected by 1, 10 or 45 days of exposure to seawater. However, prolonged (45 days) acclimation to seawater led to a significant increase in Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase α-subunit protein abundance. Taken together, these results indicate that there could be changes in the expression of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase isoforms and/or post-translational modification of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase in the gills of fish exposed to seawater. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that acclimation to seawater for 10 days only resulted in no change in branchial Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase protein expression, but there were increases in protein expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR)-like chloride channel and Na⁺:K⁺:2Cl⁻ cotransporter (NKCC; probably NKCC1). Indeed, NKCC was undetectable in gills of fish kept in 5‰ water by Western blotting, but it became weakly detectable in fish exposed to seawater for 10 days and prominently expressed in fish exposed to seawater for 45 days. Therefore, our results indicate that branchial CFTR-like chloride channel and NKCC1 were the determining factors in the transition between hyperosmotic regulation and hypoosmotic hypoionic regulation in B. sinensis. Furthermore, the intestine of B. sinensis also served as an important osmoregulatory organ, since there were significant increases in both the activity and protein abundance of intestinal Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase in fish acclimated to seawater for 45 days. The effectiveness of branchial and intestinal osmoregulatory acclimation in B. sinensis during seawater acclimation led to only a minor increase in plasma osmolality, and thus resulted in relatively unchanged free amino acid contents in muscle and liver.     

Effects of nonylphenol on ovarian cancer cells PEO4 c-myc and p53 mRNA and protein expression

The molecular mechanisms underlying proliferation and apoptosis induced by p-nonylphenol (NP) through regulation of mRNA and protein expression of c-myc, p53 mRNA and the protein was investigated using ovarian cancer PEO4 cells. PEO4 cells were grown in the Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM), 3(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was employed to investigate cell proliferation. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry was performed to determine mRNA and protein expression of PEO4 c-myc and p53. Within the range of approximately 8–9×10^?7 mol L^?1, NP stimulated proliferation in PEO4 cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry analyses revealed that treatment with 32 × 10^?7 mol L^?1 NP for 72 hr resulted in increased mRNA and protein expression of PEO4 c-myc and p53. Evidence indicates that NP exerted estrogenic actions and stimulated proliferation in estrogen responsive ovarian cancer PEO4 cells by up-regulation of c-myc mRNA and protein expression.     

纳米氧化镍颗粒对长牡蛎(Crassostreagigas)抗氧化防御体系的影响

纳米氧化镍(nNiO)作为一种广泛使用的纳米颗粒,其水生毒理效应研究还很有限。为探索n Ni O对海洋贝类的毒性机制,本研究将长牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)置于不同浓度(0、1、10、100 mg·L~(-1))的n Ni O中暴露96 h,分别测定鳃和消化腺组织的丙二醛(MDA)含量和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)以及过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性,并通过实时荧光定量PCR技术测定了鳃和消化腺中应激蛋白HSP70和AOX基因的表达变化。结果显示:在100 mg·L~(-1)n Ni O处理下,2种组织中MDA含量均显著性升高(P0.01),显示纳米颗粒造成了长牡蛎的脂质过氧化,并可能引起相应的氧化损伤。同时,n Ni O暴露也诱导了长牡蛎抗氧化酶(SOD、CAT和POD)活性的改变。其中,SOD和CAT活性在10 mg·L~(-1)浓度处理组达到最高,而POD活性在1 mg·L~(-1)浓度组即达最高值。在高浓度n Ni O(100 mg·L~(-1))胁迫下,3种抗氧化酶的活性均比低浓度(1和10 mg·L~(-1))处理组降低,表明抗氧化酶的保护作用在较低浓度暴露下更有效;而热激蛋白(hsp70)和交替氧化酶(aox)基因却分别在长牡蛎消化腺和鳃组织中上调表达(P0.01),并表现出一定的组织差异。说明高浓度纳米颗粒暴露中主要是应激蛋白发挥了作用。本文结果为纳米氧化镍对海洋双壳贝类的毒性机制研究及生态风险评估提供了基础数据。     

In vivo binding of a biologically active oligopeptide in vegetative buds of the scyphozoan Cassiopea andromeda: demonstration of receptor-mediated induction of metamorphosis

Vegetative buds of Cassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) metamorphose into polyps in the presence of short synthetic peptides containing proline as the preterminal amino acid at the carboxyl terminus. In an in vivo assay, the binding of the biologically active hexapeptide ¹⁴C-dansyl-GPGGPA in buds was shown to be specific and saturable. Scatchard plot analysis of the specific binding data revealed a dissociation constant (K _D) of about 7 M. The total number of receptors was calculated to be approximately 1×10¹⁰ bud^-1 under saturation conditions. In correlation with the results of prior investigations, our finding of receptor-mediated induction of metamorphosis strongly supports the hypothesis that binding of biologically active peptides to receptors leads to initiation of phosphatidylinositol breakdown and activation of protein kinase C.     

双酚A替代品与双酚A对非洲爪蛙急性毒性及其应激响应的比较

双酚F(bisphenol F, BPF)和双酚AF(bisphenol AF, BPAF)作为双酚A(bisphenol A, BPA)的替代品已被投入生产和使用,然而目前有关BPA替代品毒性的数据还很缺乏。本文从急性毒性和应激响应2个方面比较了BPF、BPAF与BPA对非洲爪蛙蝌蚪的毒性。结果表明,48 h的半致死浓度(LC_(50))顺序为BPF(11.01 mg·L~(-1))>BPA(7.54 mg·L~(-1))>BPAF(2.87 mg·L~(-1));对氧化应激水平的影响BPAF强于BPA,BPF与BPA相近;BPA和BPAF对热休克蛋白基因表达水平有影响,BPF没有影响。本研究提示,BPAF作为BPA的替代品,其毒性强于BPA,而BPF与BPA类似。     

GO通过氧化损伤激活秀丽线虫未折叠蛋白反应

以秀丽线虫为受试生物,探讨氧化石墨烯(GO)对秀丽线虫未折叠蛋白应答的激活及其与氧化应激的关系。将L4幼虫暴露于GO中24 h,通过检测活性氧(ROS)水平、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、丙二醛(MDA)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)等指标评估GO对秀丽线虫所致氧化损伤;以hsp-4和hsp-6分别作为秀丽线虫内质网和线粒体未折叠蛋白反应(UPR)的报告基因评价GO对秀丽线虫UPR应答的激活;同时以谷胱甘肽(GSH)作为抗氧化剂探讨GO所致UPR应答与氧化应激的关系。研究结果显示,GO暴露后秀丽线虫体内ROS、LDH和MDA水平升高,抗氧化酶活性上升;内质网和线粒体UPR反应增强,GSH预处理可以降低内质网和线粒体UPR应答。研究表明,GO短期暴露可以诱导秀丽线虫机体氧化应激进而激活UPR应答,抗氧化保护可以降低UPR应答反应。     

Polyphenol contents of five of medicinal plants from Cameroon and effects of their extracts on antioxidant capacities of human breast cancer cells

The aim of the study was to investigate the antiproliferative properties of extracts of five plants on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and their effects on antioxidant activities. The total phenol contents of the extracts were determined to establish a correlation to their antiproliferative effects which were evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide viability assay. Enzymes involved in oxidative stress were also determined. Total polyphenol contents of the five extracts varied from 170 to 440 mg L^?1 of gallic acid per mg of extract with the highest value for the extract of Sida cordifolia. Cell growth inhibition was observed within 24 h, with inhibitory concentration values ranging from 7.3 to 25 mg L^?1 depending on plant extract. At concentrations between 100 and 200 mg L^?1, all the extracts exhibited significant reduction of cell proliferation in time-dependent and linear manner. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase of cells treated for 24 h with the extract of S. cordifolia were 3.5 U per mg protein and 8 mole H₂O₂ consumed per min per mg protein higher than those of cells treated with an extract of Viscum album.     

镉胁迫对脊尾白虾的毒性效应研究

为揭示重金属镉对脊尾白虾的毒性效应,采用急性毒性实验方法,研究了不同浓度镉(Cd~(2+))对脊尾白虾(Exopalaemon carinicauda)血清氧化应激相关生理指标的活性以及肌肉组织中腺苷酸转移酶基因(ANT)和热激蛋白70基因(HSC70)表达水平的影响。共设置4个Cd2+浓度胁迫(0、0.0002、0.001、0.005 mmol·L~(-1)),分别在0、3、6、9、12、24、36、48、72和96 h共10个时间点对相关指标进行测定。结果显示:不同浓度镉胁迫下,脊尾白虾血清中H_2O_2含量、MDA含量和GSH含量均表现为先升高后降低的趋势,H2O2含量在胁迫3 h时即出现明显的升高,而MDA和GSH则均在9 h时出现升高趋势,表现为一定的滞后性。H2O2含量在0.005 mmol·L~(-1)胁迫3 h时出现峰值,MDA含量在0.005 mmol·L~(-1)胁迫9 h时出现峰值,GSH含量在0.001mmol·L~(-1)胁迫48 h时出现峰值,且均与对照组存在显著性差异(P0.05)。HSC70基因的表达量在不同浓度胁迫下均表现为先升高后降低的趋势,且均在24 h时达到峰值,具体表达量水平的顺序为:0.0002 mmol·L~(-1)0.001 mmol·L~(-1)0.005 mmol·L~(-1)。ANT基因的表达量在不同浓度下则均表现为明显的下调趋势。由此可见,急性Cd~(2+)胁迫不仅影响脊尾白虾的氧化应激相关生理指标,还影响机体内组成型HSC70及与能量传递有关的ANT基因的表达水平。     

As(V)-reduction to As(III) by arsenic-resistant Bacillus spp. bacterial strains isolated from low-contaminated sediments of the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon,Italy

Five arsenic-resistant bacterial strains designated MT1, MT2, MT3, V1 and V2 were isolated from sediments of the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon (Italy), which comprises six small lakes whose sediments contain low arsenic concentrations. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences assigned them to the genus Bacillus. Bacillus sp. strain MT3 showed higher tolerance to As(III) and As(V), as indicated by minimum inhibitory concentrations of 14 and 135 mmol^?1, respectively. Bacillus sp. strain V1 showed growth inhibition at 14 mmol^?1 in the presence of As(III) and at 68 mmol^?1 in the presence of As(V), whereas the arsenic resistance of Bacillus sp. strain MT1 was 10 and 27 mmol^?1 for As(III) and As(V), respectively. The strains Bacillus spp. MT2 and V2 showed low levels of As(III) and As(V) resistance, as it was unable to grow at concentrations>7 and 14 mmol^?1, respectively. The isolated arsenic-resistant Bacillus spp. strains were able to reduce As(V) to As(III), especially Bacillus spp. strain MT3. This study suggests that the isolated bacterial strains play a role in the arsenic biogeochemical cycle of arsenic-poor sediments in the Oliveri-Tindari Lagoon.