Expression of genes involved in redox homeostasis and antioxidant defense in a marine macroalga Ulva fasciata by excess copper

The expression of genes involved in the control of redox homeostasis and antioxidant defense was studied in macroalga Ulva fasciata Delile in response to 5 and 50 μM CuSO4. Redox-related genes, methionine sulfoxide reductase A (UfMsrA), thioredoxin (UfTrx), cyclophilin (UfCyp), and ferritin (UfFer) that were up-regulated by excess Cu [Wu, T.M., Lee, T.M., 2008. Regulation of activity and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in Ulva fasciata Delile (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) in response to excess copper. Phycologia 47, 346–360] were cloned and their expression was compared to superoxide dismutase (UfMnsod and UfFesod), ascorbate peroxidase (UfApx), glutathione reductase (UfGr), and catalase (UfCat). Transcripts of UfMsrA, UfCyp, and UfFer were increased by excess Cu with a peak at 3 h and that of UfTrx increased after 6–9 h, but not affected by 4-day exposure to excess Cu, except an increase in UfMsrA transcript. Transcripts of UfMnsod, UfFesod, UfApx, UfGr and UfCat can be increased by 4-day exposure to Cu excess [Wu, T.M., Lee, T.M., 2008. Regulation of activity and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in Ulva fasciata Delile (Ulvales, Chlorophyta) in response to excess copper. Phycologia 47, 346–360] but not by short-term excess Cu treatment, except UfGr whose transcript increased after 3 h. Reactive oxygen species involved in up-regulation of antioxidant defense enzymes genes. These results suggest that the expression of genes of antioxidant defense enzymes and UfMsrA are associated with long-term adaptation of U. fasciata to Cu excess and transcription of redox-related genes and UfGr is up-regulated for short-term acclimation.