Acronym NA
Category
Fisheries
Title Physiological/biochemical and genotoxic responses of aquatic animal species to xenobiotic contaminants of the aquatic environment Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Ana Monteiro Santos Coordinator email NA
Coordinator institution
CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (Portugal)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2005 End year 2008 Funding (€) € 89,100 Website https://www.cesam-la.pt/projetos/respostas-fisiologicas-bioquimicas-e-genotoxicas-das-especies-animais-aquaticas-a-xenobioticos-contaminantes-do-ambiente-aquatico/ Summary A cell or organism is considered to be in a state of "oxidative stress" whenever the balance between oxidants and antioxidant enzymes or substrates is disturbed in favour of the former. Under these conditions, intermediate reactive oxygen species can damage DNA and membrane lipids and also affect the functions of cellular proteins. The integrity and function of the membrane is lost due to lipid peroxidation by free radicals. Oxidative damage to DNA can alter its normal transcription and replication and induce mutations. Free radicals and oxidative stress are implicated in a variety of normal and pathological conditions. Recently, many researchers have focused their studies on the molecular mechanisms through which free radicals contribute to the development and progression of various disease states. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) form in large quantities as by-products of normal cellular metabolism. Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA accumulate in high concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, a very stable injury product from the hydroxylation of guanine at carbon 8. 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OH) induces transversion from G to T, which is potentially mutagenic. The base excision repair (BER) pathway is the most important cellular protection mechanism in response to oxidative DNA damage, removing altered bases from DNA before they are incorporated into DNA during replication. The homologous MutT (MutT/MTH) enzymes in the BER process are DNA glycosylases, which remove different damaged bases, protect the cell from the mutagenic effects of 8-oxoG. 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHG) has been used as a marker of oxidative stress. Aquatic contamination by complex mixtures of urban and industrial effluents has recently been transferred from rivers and estuaries to coastal areas through submarine vents after primary and secondary treatment carried out by means of aeration, pH correction followed by treatment by activated sludge. Despite these good intentions, at least 50 years of intense contamination have been left behind in the Ria de Aveiro, more specifically at the sediment level, not considering the fact that only a third of all effluents are being properly treated. Several laboratory and field studies have been carried out by our research group regarding the physiological/biochemical/genotoxic responses of aquatic animal species to these contaminants alone or in complex mixtures. In accordance with the above statements, laboratory and field studies will be carried out with regard to the quantification of water/sediment contamination, as well as with regard to its ability to induce biotransformation and oxidative stress related to DNA damage in various organs of marine aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates.
Keywords
Toxic substances;
Biology;
Crustacean;
Genetic;
Impacts;
Fish;
Fish biology;
Pollution;
Mollusc;
Shellfish;
Marine Region
38
Portuguese Waters (27.IXa,27.IXb)
1
Marine Region Map
