Cadmium induces a novel metallothionein and phytochelatin 2 in an aquatic fungus

Journal Article · Fri Jul 22 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.05.083· OSTI ID:20710862

Jaeckel, Petra ^[1]; Krauss, Gudrun ^[1]; Menge, Sieglinde ^[2]; Schierhorn, Angelika ^[2]; Ruecknagel, Peter ^[3]; Krauss, Gerd-Joachim ^[2]

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1. UFZ Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle in the Helmholtz Association, Department of Environmental Microbiology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Germany)
2. Martin-Luther-University, Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Biochemistry/Biotechnology, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle (Germany)
3. Max-Planck-Research Unit for Enzymology of Protein Folding, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle (Germany)

Cadmium stress response was measured at the thiol peptide level in an aquatic hyphomycete (Heliscus lugdunensis). In liquid culture, 0.1mM cadmium increased the glutathione (GSH) content and induced the synthesis of additional thiol peptides. HPLC, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and Edman degradation confirmed that a novel small metallothionein as well as phytochelatin (PC2) were synthesized. The metallothionein has a high homology to family 8 metallothioneins (http://www.expasy.ch/cgi-bin/lists?metallo.txt). The bonding of at least two cadmium ions to the metallothionein was demonstrated by mass spectrometry (MALDI MS). This is the first time that simultaneous induction of metallothionein and phytochelatin accompanied by an increase in GSH level has been shown in a fungus under cadmium stress, indicating a potential function of these complexing agents for in vivo heavy metal detoxification. The method presented here should be applicable as biomarker tool. ol.

• OSTI ID: 20710862
• Journal Information: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 333, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.05.083; PII: S0006-291X(05)01076-4; Copyright (c) 2005 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BONDING
CADMIUM
CADMIUM IONS
CHELATING AGENTS
DETOXIFICATION
FUNGI
GLUTATHIONE
HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY
IN VIVO
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METALLOTHIONEIN
SYNTHESIS
THIOLS