Gene expression patterns and stress response in marine copepods

Aquatic organisms are constantly exposed to both physical (e.g. temperature and salinity variations) and chemical (e.g. endocrine disruptor chemicals, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, diatom toxins, and other toxicants) stressors which they react to by activating a series of defense mechanisms. This paper reviews the literature on the defense systems, including detoxification enzymes and proteins (e.g. glutathione S-transferases, heat shock proteins, superoxide dismutase and catalase), studied in copepods at the molecular level. The data indicate high inter- and intra-species variability in copepod response, depending on the type of stressor tested, the concentration and exposure time, and the enzyme isoform studied. Ongoing -omics approaches will allow the identification of new genes which will give a more comprehensive overview of how copepods respond to specific stressors in laboratory and/or field conditions and the effects of these responses on higher trophic levels.

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► Of the various genes involved in the stress response of copepods, the most extensively studied are GSTs and HSPs.
► Gene expression analyses in copepods reveals the lack of a common pattern in the expression of the analyzed genes.
► Copepod gene response to different stressors shows that there is high inter- and intra-species variability.
► The stress response depends on the stressor (dose and duration of exposure), and the isoform and copepod species tested.