Mercury-binding proteins from the marine mussel, Mytilus edulis

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.866545· OSTI ID:5431372

Roesijadi, G

The marine mussel, Mytilus edulis, possesses low molecular weight, metal-binding proteins which can be induced by and, in turn, bind mercury when individuals are exposed to low, but elevated concentrations of mercury as HgCl/sub 2/. Induction of the proteins by exposure of mussels to copper, cadmium, or mercury is associated with enhanced tolerance to mercury toxicity. Mercury-binding proteins isolated from gills of mussels occur as two molecular weight variants of about 20-25 and 10-12 kdaltons, respectively, on Sephadex G-75. These have been designated as HgBP/sub 20/ and HgBP/sub 10/ following the nomenclature used for cadmium-binding proteins. HgBP/sub 20/ represents the primary mercury-binding species. Separation of HgBP/sub 20/ by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography resulted in the resolution of six peaks, indicating a more complex situation than was evident from DEAE-cellulose separations. Although not completely purified, these also contain cysteine- and glycine-rich proteins.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5431372
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Vol. 65
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
MERCURY CHLORIDES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
METALLOPROTEINS
BIOCHEMISTRY
ION EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY
GILLS
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
MUSSELS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY HALIDES
MOLLUSCS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SEPARATION PROCESSES
560304* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Invertebrates- (-1987)
550200 - Biochemistry