Protein expression signatures identified in Mytilus edulis exposed to PCBs, copper and salinity stress

Applied to environmental toxicology, proteome analysis may be used ti isola te chemical-specific protein expression signatures (PES). In this project s pecific PES were isolated in mussels, Mytilus edulis, from the Baltic Sea s ubjected in the laboratory to treatment with copper (70 ppb), Aroclor 1248 (1 ppb), and to lowered salinity. Four mussels in each treatment group were acclimated in the laboratory for 24 h before beginning the 7-day exposure. Whole body tissue was homogenized and separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The protein gels were scanned to TIFF files and compared u sing MELANIE II 2D gel analysis software (BioRad). Protein expression signa tures including proteins induced and repressed by exposure were isolated fo r each treatment group. The specificity of PES due to environmental changes sows promise bioindication, toxicity testing and in helping identify possi ble toxicity mechanisms. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .