engleski

Expression of HSP70 isoforms in Lemna minor exposed to cadmium

Heat shock proteins belonging to the HSP70 family have been proposed as a biochemical marker of environmental stress. They are induced by a broad range of stresses, from heat shock to the presence of pollutants such as heavy metals. Cadmium is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutant due to its high toxicity and great solubility in water. The objective of this study was to determine HSP70 expression in Lemna minor exposed to cadmium. L. minor is aquatic macrophyte widely used for toxicity evaluation due to its small size, vegetative reproduction, easiness of culture in laboratory condition and high sensitivity to pollutants. Exposure to the cadmium chloride in concentration of 0.01 mmol dm?3 caused significant decrease of L. minor growth during 14 days. Western blot analysis of plants grown 14 days in presence of cadmium showed expression of two HSP70 isoforms, 80 kDa and 78 kDa. In control plants as well as in plants shortly exposed to cadmium (6 days) only isoform of 80 kDa was noticed. Our results suggest that expression of HSP70 can be used as a biomarker in biomonitoring of cadmium pollution using L. minor as test organism.

HSP70 expression; biomarker; Lemna minor; cadmium

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