Impact of genetic diversity and inbreeding on the life-history of Chironomus midges over consecutive generations

We report results of a multigenerational experiment with Chironomus riparius. Two strains with a high and a low level of genetic variability were exposed to a low, environmentally relevant TBT concentration of 80 μg Sn kg⁻¹ sediment dw nominally (time weighted mean, based on measured concentrations: 4.5 μg Sn kg⁻¹ sediment dw), and various life history traits as well as genetic diversity were monitored for eleven consecutive generations. While TBT effects are hardly visible in the outbred and genetically diverse strain, the inbred and genetically impoverished strain shows a clearly reduced population growth rate compared to the control. Moreover, the impoverished strain shows an increase in fitness over time. Analyses of variation at five microsatellite loci revealed that the level of genetic variation is strongly reduced in the inbred compared to the outbred strain. Moreover, genetic diversity increases over time in the inbred strain. This finding explains the observed increase in fitness in both inbred lineages (control and TBT exposed). The results document that inbreeding and the level of genetic diversity might be of crucial importance in populations under pollution stress. Furthermore, ecotoxicological bioassays have to consider genetic diversity if results between laboratories should be comparable. Our data provides evidence that genetic diversity strongly contributes to the survival of a population exposed to chemical pollution.     

环境污染物计算毒理学分析及环境行为模拟研究进展

根据国内外研究报道,系统地总结了计算毒理学和化合物环境行为模拟在环境科学领域的研究进展,包括二者的概念、理论、研究方法以及在环境研究中的应用;分析了计算毒理学和化合物环境行为模拟在发展中所面临的挑战,并提出对策;展望了计算毒理学和化合物环境行为模拟在环境研究中的发展前景。     

虹鳟鱼鳃及肝脏多种CYP1基因表达模式作为生物标志物监测海河水污染状况

以虹鳟鱼为受试生物,以鳃与肝脏多种CYP1基因为生物标志物,在天津境内开展了野外监测实验,分析多种CYP1转录物的表达量变化及它们在不同监测位点的表达模式.实验通过鱼类吊网在特定水域进行野外监测.结果表明,葛沽与海河入海口的6种CYP1基因表达模式很相近,但表达量不同,表明两地的污染成分相近似但水中污染物负荷不同.除了在马厂减河外,CYP1C1/C3在葛沽与入海口受到明显诱导作用,表明马厂减河中存在的污染物种类不同于其它监测位点.因此,利用虹鳟鱼鳃与肝脏中多种CYP1基因表达模式作为生物标志物监测污染物有着很好的前景,不仅可以作为研究环境污染物对水环境和鱼类健康影响的重要手段,还可以为进一步解释化学混合物成分与多种生物反应之间关系提供理论基础.     

低剂量镉诱导细胞氧化损伤的机理研究

镉是一种有毒重金属,能诱导酿酒酵母的氧化损伤.为了研究低剂量镉诱导细胞氧化损伤的作用,通过有葡萄糖和无葡萄糖的酵母培养基,用浓度2 μmol/L和10 μmol/L的CdCl2染毒酿酒酵母10 h后,统计酿酒酵母细胞的存活率,并用HPLC-EC法测定酿酒酵母线粒体DNA中8-OH-dG/105dG比值.结果表明:无葡萄糖条件下,10μmol/L的CdCl2染毒时酿酒酵母对Cd2 的耐受性比有葡萄糖时明显高(P＜0.01),而且线粒体DNA氧化损伤程度也明显低(P＜0 01);但2 μmol/L的CdCl2染毒时,酿酒酵母对Cd2 的耐受性和线粒体DNA氧化损伤程度与有葡萄糖条件下相比差异不显著(P＞0.05).因此,本文认为低浓度Cr主要对酿酒酵母细胞质中蛋白造成氧化损伤,浓度升高时则对线粒体DNA也产生氧化损伤.     

久效磷对黄鳝乙酰胆碱酯酶、羧酸酯酶和磷酸酶活性的影响

采用静态急性毒性实验方法,研究了久效磷对黄鳝脑乙酰胆碱酯酶及肝脏、肾脏羧酸酯酶、碱性磷酸酶、酸性磷酸酶活性的影响.结果表明,在水温(20±2)℃条件下,经0.25 mg·L-1、0.50 mg·L-1、1.00mg·L-1和2.00mg·L-1的久效磷暴露96 h,黄鳝肝脏、肾脏羧酸酯酶和脑乙酰胆碱酯酶活性均显著下降,但两者表现出不同的抑制模式.随着暴露质量浓度的升高,肝脏和肾脏羧酸酯酶活性的下降幅度逐渐变小,而脑乙酰胆碱酯酶活性下降幅度却由小变大.久效磷暴露黄鳝96 h,肝脏、肾脏酸性磷酸酶活性均升高;而肝脏碱性磷酸酶活性升高;肾脏碱性磷酸酶活性降低.久效磷暴露质量浓度与脑乙酰胆碱酯酶和肝脏、肾脏羧酸酯酶活性之间具有剂量-效应关系,酸性磷酸酶和碱性磷酸酶可能在鱼体抵御有机磷农药毒性作用中有着重要的作用,其机理有待进一步研究.此外,本文还探讨了有机磷农药靶标酶乙酰胆碱酯酶和解毒酶羧酸酯酶、磷酸酶之间的相关性.     

Metal and Trace Element Burdens in Two Shorebird Species at Two Sympatric Wintering Sites in Southern California

In January and November, 1994, ten willets (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) and ten black-bellied plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) were collected at a south-facing sandy beach at the North Island Naval Air Station (NASNI) and ten willets and three plovers were collected at the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge (TSNWR), 16 km to the southeast. Concentrations of 19 inorganic analytes were determined in the livers. Differences between sexes in diet or abilities to retain some analytes are indicated because male willets tend to have greater levels of Cd than females and male plovers tend to have greater levels of Fe, Hg, and Mn than females. Concentrations of Hg and Mg in willets decreased from January to November. If this decrease is a part of an annual cycle, then the birds may be acquiring those elements while at NASNI. The differences between sites shows higher levels of As and Se but lower levels of Mn in willets at NASNI while plovers have lower levels of Cu, Mg and Zn at NASNI. There were no correlations between Hg and Se concentrations in the livers of any sample group of birds.     

Effect of ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nicotine on the structure of Aβ42 protein

● B[a]P, nicotine and phenanthrene molecules altered the secondary structure of Aβ₄₂. ● β-content of the peptide was significantly enhanced in the presence of the PAHs. ● Nicotine made stable cluster with Aβ₄₂ peptide via hydrogen bonds. ● Phenanthrene due to its small size, interfered with the Aβ₄₂ monomer more strongly. Recent studies have correlated the chronic impact of ambient environmental pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with the progression of neurodegenerative disorders, either by using statistical data from various cities, or via tracking biomarkers during in-vivo experiments. Among different neurodegenerative disorders, PAHs are known to cause increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, related to the development of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide oligomers. However, the complex molecular interactions between peptide monomers and organic pollutants remains obscured. In this work, we performed an atomistic molecular dynamics study via GROMACS to investigate the structure of Aβ₄₂ peptide monomer in the presence of benzo[a]pyrene, nicotine, and phenanthrene. Interestingly the results revealed strong hydrophobic, and hydrogen-bond based interactions between Aβ peptides and these environmental pollutants that resulted in the formation of stable intermolecular clusters. The strong interactions affected the secondary structure of the Aβ₄₂ peptide in the presence of the organic pollutants, with almost 50 % decrease in the α-helix and 2 %–10 % increase in the β-sheets of the peptide. Overall, the undergoing changes in the secondary structure of the peptide monomer in the presence of the pollutants under the study indicates an enhanced formation of Aβ peptide oligomers, and consequent progression of Alzheimer’s disease.     

蛋白组学技术的发展及在水生态毒理学中的应用

作为后基因组时代重要的研究工具,蛋白组学技术的发展对水生态毒理学研究产生了巨大的促进作用。对近年来应用于水生态毒理学研究中的蛋白组学技术的发展历程和应用现状进行了全面的阐述。从蛋白提取、蛋白分离和鉴定、蛋白定量等方面对蛋白组学研究技术的发展进行了系统的介绍,重点介绍和比较了蛋白分离和鉴定技术中的基于胶的技术和非胶技术。在简介蛋白组学技术发展的基础上,以蛋白的识别和定量,特定功能蛋白的研究,蛋白相互作用研究这3个蛋白组学的研究方向为切入点,详细阐述了各类技术在水生态毒理学研究中的应用,如蛋白组学在阐明各种污染物对水生生物的毒性作用机制方面的应用,以及在水体污染状况的监测和评价方面的应用等。最后,指出了目前蛋白组学研究的不足,并有针对性地提出了水生态毒理学研究中蛋白组学的发展方向。     

沈阳市环境铅污染对儿童健康的影响

实地调查采样、结合GIS技术进行室内综合分析,系统研究了沈阳市大气、土壤、灰尘中铅污染对儿童健康的影响.结果表明,沈阳市环境中铅暴露普遍,铅污染较严重,铅浓度空间分异大,已形成4个高浓度中心.并且大气铅浓度有明显的日、季和年变化规律沈阳市环境铅污染已经影响了儿童健康,0～10岁儿童(ZPP＞2.3μmol/L)血铅范围是10.98～511.2μg/L,平均值是135.59μg/L,40%的儿童血铅水平超标.儿童血铅与大气铅相关性最大,其次是土壤和灰尘.实行无铅汽油之后,大气铅污染有了很大改善,但是土壤和灰尘中的铅容易以扬尘的方式再次进入大气,存在潜在风险,应引起有关部门足够的重视.     

The cytotoxicity of nici2 for mammalian cells in culture†

The effects of NiCl₂ were studied in two human cell lines, HeLa and diploid embryonic fibroblasts as well as in V79 Chinese hamster cells and in L‐A mouse fibroblasts. NiCl₂ produces a dose‐dependent depression of proliferation, mitotic rate, and viability, accompanied by an increasing release of lactic dehydrogenase and stimulation of lactic acid production. The plating efficiency is reduced, as are DNA and protein synthesis and, to a lesser degree, RNA synthesis.

The cytotoxicity of NiCl₂ is comparable in degree to those of PbCl₂ and MnCl₂, but is weaker than those of HgCl₂ and CdCl₂. However, the different sensitivities of different cell lines must also be considered.

NiCl₂ effects are more severe in serum‐free medium than in medium containing serum or serum albumin indicating that serum constituents, notably albumin, bind the metal effectively and inhibit cellular uptake; this confirms earlier reports on the serum binding and slow uptake of NiCl₂.

Synchronized cells are most sensitive in the Gl and early S phases of the cell cycle. In the Painter test the depression of DNA synthesis persists following cessation of exposure to NiCI₂. These findings contribute an explanation for the known genotoxic effects of nickel.