Cloning of a chub metallothionein cDNA and development of competitive RT-PCR of chub metallothionein mRNA as a potential biomarker of heavy metal exposure

Metallothionein has been assayed in a range of aquatic animal tissues as an indicator of metal exposure. We sequenced chub (Leuciscus cephalus) metallothionein cDNA which showed over 90% homology to common carp, goldfish and stone loach and 77% homology to rainbow trout sequences for metallothionein. We then used the extended primer method to develop an accurate quantitative competitive RT-PCR assay for metallothionein mRNA. RT-PCR was used to measure metallothionein mRNA in feral chub from a range of field sites, with different levels of heavy metal pollution, in the West Midlands, UK. Measurements were complemented by analysis of liver and gill metallothionein protein by capillary electrophoresis. There was no significant difference in the metallothionein protein levels between fish of different rivers and there was no evidence of elevation of mRNA at the sites of highest metal exposure. The level of metal exposure (e.g. zinc, nickel and cadmium each ranging between 15 and 28 microg/l ) at the pH (7.5-8.5) of these rivers appears insufficient to elevate hepatic or gill metallothionein in chub. A lack of elevation of hepatic metallothionein mRNA in chub exposed to zinc, copper and manganese for 24 h and 10 days in the laboratory also suggests a non-responsiveness of this species.     

Correlative changes in metabolism and DNA damage in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) exposed to benzo[a]pyrene

Juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) were injected intraperitoneally with either corn oil or 5 mg/kg benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) dissolved in corn oil and sampled I and 3 days after injection. After 1 day, no elevation of 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was observed, however bile metabolites (BaP-7,8 dihydrodiol representing 70% of the total metabolites) and a single hepatic DNA adduct spot (0.47 adducts/10(8) nucleotides) identified by 32P-postlabelling were formed. No BaP metabolites or DNA adducts were observed in either control or carrier control fish. Fish sampled after 3 days reported 5-fold higher (P < 0.05) levels of EROD activity, a shift in the bile metabolite profile towards BaP phenol formation (1OH and 30H BaP comprising up to 60% of total metabolites detected) and the formation of two adduct spots (0.86 and 0.71 adducts/10(8) nucleotides). These results show that BaP can be metabolised and form hydrophobic DNA adducts in turbot without EROD elevation. Following EROD elevation, a shift in the profile of both BaP metabolites and BaP metabolite-DNA interactions occurs indicative of other oxidative processes.     

当代世界地质调查工作发展趋势

20世纪80年代以来，经济全球化的发展、高新技术的广泛应用、世界人口的迅速增长和环境问题的日益严峻，对地质调查工作产生了巨大的冲击，地质调查的驱动机制、主要任务和工作内容、技术手段、服务意识等都发生了很大的变化。总体趋势为：需求驱动——地质调查工作的驱动机制由传统的供给驱动型向需求驱动型转变；领域拓宽——地质调查的研究领域不断拓展，从以寻找、发现矿产资源为主的矿产资源型转变为兼顾资源与环境保护、灾害减轻的资源与环境并重的社会型；技术先导——地质调查的技术手段发生了根本性变化，地质调查传统的“老三件”正逐渐被“新三件”所替代；服务优先——地质调查的服务意识不断增强。     

国外地质调查机构经费构成、队伍规模及影响因素

一个国家地质调查机构的经费构成、投入规模和地质队伍规模主要取决于该国的国情,并与其所处的社会经济发展阶段和社会需求密切相关,在一定程度上反映了国家的经济发展水平和社会发展阶段。此外,还受国家体制、国土面积、人口、矿产资源丰富程度和矿业在国民经济中的地位、自然灾害     

国外矿产资源研究的主要发展趋势

可持续发展概念的提出,要求今天的经济社会发展再不能以大范围的环境恶化和资源枯竭为代价。为此,向矿产资源研究提出了全新的挑战,要求相关研究人员调整其科研方向,以确保国家经济和生态安全,这     

推进我国区域化探发展的一些建议

推进我国区域化探发展的一些建议施俊法，肖桂义（中国地质矿产信息研究院，北京１０００３７）（中国地质勘查技术院，北京１０００８３）自１９７９年我国实施区域化探全国扫面计划以来，已覆盖了４６８ｋｍ’的面积，获得了高质量的地球化学数据。面对寻找大型超大型矿...