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Transgenic strains of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as biomonitors of metal contamination
Author(s) -
Cioci L. K.,
Qiu Ling,
Freedman Jonathan H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620190823
Subject(s) - caenorhabditis elegans , transgene , reporter gene , biology , metallothionein , environmental pollution , heat shock protein , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , gene expression , environmental protection , environmental science
Transition metal contamination poses a serious environmental and human health threat. The bioavailability of transition metals in environmental samples can best be assessed with living organisms. A transgenic strain of the free‐living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been engineered for monitoring the bioavailability of metals. A reporter transgene consisting of a fragment of the promoter from the C. elegans metallothionein‐2 gene ( mtl‐2 ) that controls the transcription of a β‐galactosidase reporter ( lacZ ) has been integrated into the genome of this organism. By using these transgenic C. elegans , the toxicological response to metals in samples can be quickly measured with a simple histochemical staining assay. The C. elegans that contain the mtl‐2:lacZ transgene provide a more sensitive assay of exposure to cadmium, mercury, zinc, and nickel than 24‐h LC50 assays or those using nematodes with heat‐shock protein–based reporter transgenes. This study demonstrates that C. elegans that contain mtl‐2:lacZ transgenes can function as sensitive toxicological indicators of metals.