The Metallothionein System in Tetrahymena thermophila Is Iron-Inducible.

IF 3.9 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Toxics Pub Date : 2024-10-08 DOI:10.3390/toxics12100725

Davide Gualandris, Davide Rotondo, Candida Lorusso, Antonietta La Terza, Antonio Calisi, Francesco Dondero

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Abstract

Metallothioneins are multifunctional proteins implicated in various cellular processes. They have been used as biomarkers of heavy metal exposure and contamination due to their intrinsic ability to bind heavy metals and their transcriptional response to both physiological and noxious metal ions such as cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg). In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of iron and reactive oxygen species (ROSs) in the induction of the metallothionein system (Mtt) in the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila. We investigated the relative mRNA abundances of the metallothionein genes Mtt1, Mtt2/4, and Mtt5, revealing for the first time their responsiveness to iron exposure. Furthermore, by using inhibitors of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), alone or in combination with iron, we highlighted the roles of superoxide ion and endogenous hydrogen peroxide, as well as the complex interplay between the metal and ROSs. These results enhance our understanding of the metallothionein system in ciliates and suggest that ROSs may be a primary evolutionary driver for the selection of these proteins in nature.

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嗜热四膜虫的金属硫蛋白系统是铁诱导型的

金属硫蛋白是一种参与多种细胞过程的多功能蛋白质。由于金属硫蛋白具有与重金属结合的内在能力以及对生理和有害金属离子（如镉（Cd）和汞（Hg））的转录反应，它们已被用作重金属暴露和污染的生物标志物。本研究旨在阐明铁和活性氧（ROS）在纤毛虫原生动物嗜热四膜虫金属硫蛋白系统（Mtt）诱导过程中的作用。我们研究了金属硫蛋白基因 Mtt1、Mtt2/4 和 Mtt5 的相对 mRNA 丰度，首次揭示了它们对铁暴露的反应性。此外，通过使用超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）抑制剂（单独或与铁结合使用），我们强调了超氧离子和内源性过氧化氢的作用，以及金属和 ROS 之间复杂的相互作用。这些结果加深了我们对纤毛虫金属硫蛋白系统的了解，并表明 ROS 可能是自然界选择这些蛋白质的主要进化驱动力。

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来源期刊

Toxics Chemical Engineering-Chemical Health and Safety

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

10.90%

发文量

681

审稿时长

6 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal accepts papers describing work that furthers our understanding of the exposure, effects, and risks of chemicals and materials in humans and the natural environment as well as approaches to assess and/or manage the toxicological and ecotoxicological risks of chemicals and materials. The journal covers a wide range of toxic substances, including metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, biocides, nanomaterials, and polymers such as micro- and mesoplastics. Toxics accepts papers covering: The occurrence, transport, and fate of chemicals and materials in different systems (e.g., food, air, water, soil); Exposure of humans and the environment to toxic chemicals and materials as well as modelling and experimental approaches for characterizing the exposure in, e.g., water, air, soil, food, and consumer products; Uptake, metabolism, and effects of chemicals and materials in a wide range of systems including in-vitro toxicological assays, aquatic and terrestrial organisms and ecosystems, model mammalian systems, and humans; Approaches to assess the risks of chemicals and materials to humans and the environment; Methodologies to eliminate or reduce the exposure of humans and the environment to toxic chemicals and materials.