Pyrene-induced changes of glutathione-S-transferase activities in different microalgal species

An Ping Lei, Yuk Shan Wong, Nora Fung yee Tam

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The glutathione-S-transferase (GST, EC 2.5.1.18) activities in different freshwater microalgal species, namely, Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus quadricauda, Scenedesmus platydiscus and Selenastrum capricornutum under the control condition (without pyrene addition) and at different pyrene concentrations were compared. During 7-days incubation under the control condition (without pyrene addition), all microalgal species exhibited measurable GST activities but the activities varied significantly among species and the difference could be more than 100-fold. The addition of pyrene at concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 mg l-1 to microalgal cultures led to changes in GST activities but the patterns of changes varied from species to species. Among the four species, remarkably decreases in GST activities were found in S. quadricauda, a species most sensitive to pyrene toxicity, at high pyrene concentrations. On the contrary, GST activities in S. platydiscus and Se. capricornutum increased significantly as pyrene concentrations increased. These two species were found to be more resistant to pyrene and had higher efficiencies in metabolising pyrene than other species. C. vulgaris did not show any significant change in their GST activities with the addition of pyrene, and pyrene was not metabolised by this species. These results suggest that pyrene-induced changes of GST activities in microalgae might be related to their resistance and their ability to metabolise pyrene. In general, the pyrene-induced changes of GST activities were higher at 4-days than at 1- and 7-days incubation in all microalgae.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)293-301
Number of pages9
JournalChemosphere
Volume50
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Bioremediation
  • Chlorella
  • Glutathione-S-transferase
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
  • Scenedesmus
  • Selenastrum

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