TY - JOUR

T1 - Metal intracellular partitioning as a detoxification mechanism for mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) living in metal-polluted salt marshes

AU - Goto, Daisuke

AU - Wallace, William G

N1 - Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2010/4/1

Y1 - 2010/4/1

N2 - Intracellular partitioning of trace metals is critical to metal detoxification in aquatic organisms. In the present study, we assessed metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) handling capacities of mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) in metal-polluted salt marshes in New York, USA by examining metal intracellular partitioning. Despite the lack of differences in the whole body burdens, partitioning patterns of metals in intracellular components (heat-stable proteins, heat-denaturable proteins, organelles, and metal-rich granules) revealed clear differential metal handling capacities among the populations of mummichogs. In general, mummichogs living in metal-polluted sites stored a large amount of metals in detoxifying cellular components, particularly metal-rich granules (MRG). Moreover, only metals associated with MRG were consistently correlated with variations in the whole body burdens. These findings suggest that metal detoxification through intracellular partitioning, particularly the sequestration to MRG, may have important implications for metal tolerance of mummichogs living in chronically metal-polluted habitats.

AB - Intracellular partitioning of trace metals is critical to metal detoxification in aquatic organisms. In the present study, we assessed metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) handling capacities of mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) in metal-polluted salt marshes in New York, USA by examining metal intracellular partitioning. Despite the lack of differences in the whole body burdens, partitioning patterns of metals in intracellular components (heat-stable proteins, heat-denaturable proteins, organelles, and metal-rich granules) revealed clear differential metal handling capacities among the populations of mummichogs. In general, mummichogs living in metal-polluted sites stored a large amount of metals in detoxifying cellular components, particularly metal-rich granules (MRG). Moreover, only metals associated with MRG were consistently correlated with variations in the whole body burdens. These findings suggest that metal detoxification through intracellular partitioning, particularly the sequestration to MRG, may have important implications for metal tolerance of mummichogs living in chronically metal-polluted habitats.

KW - Animals

KW - Cytoplasmic Granules/chemistry

KW - Fundulidae/metabolism

KW - Inactivation, Metabolic

KW - Metals, Heavy/analysis

KW - New York

KW - Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis

KW - Wetlands

U2 - 10.1016/j.marenvres.2009.09.008

DO - 10.1016/j.marenvres.2009.09.008

M3 - Article

C2 - 19853291

VL - 69

SP - 163

EP - 171

JO - Marine Environmental Research

JF - Marine Environmental Research

SN - 0141-1136

IS - 3

ER -