Identification and expression of differentially expressed genes in clam Venerupis philippinarum in response to environmental pollutant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)

• SSH method was applied to study differentially expressed genes in V. philippinarum.
• Building subtractive libraries of mollusks' response to stress of HBCD firstly
• Molecular modulation was characterized in V. philippinarum challenged with HBCD.
• Several genes might be considered as candidate molecular biomarkers.

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is a widely used flame retardant that has increasingly been found as contaminant in the aquatic environment. This study aimed to investigate the molecular response of gill of clam, Venerupis philippinarum, to environmental stress HBCD by identification of transcripts involved in immune and detoxification defense. Genomic analysis was made applying suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method to identify differentially expressed genes during HBCD exposure and transcripts were clustered to 11 and 9 functional categories from forward and backward subtracted library, respectively. Nine genes of interest were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR at 3 days and 10 days post-exposure to HBCD at three concentrations (0.086, 0.86 and 8.6 μg/L). This study provides information for the characterization of potential molecular biomarkers that may be used in future environmental monitoring and to investigate new mechanisms of stress to HBCD in this commercially important marine species.