Use of heat shock protein mRNA expressions as biomarkers in wild crucian carp for monitoring water quality

In organisms, the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) can be induced after exposure to various stressors. In the present study, partial cDNA sequences encoding of HSP30, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 genes were isolated and sequenced in the crucian carp (Carassius carassius). Next, quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assays normalized to beta-actin were developed to quantify HSP mRNA expression. The same methods were used to detect HSP mRNA expression in the wild crucian carp that were collected from the Hun River. In fish located downstream of the river, we found that the levels of HSP70 and HSP30 in the liver and kidney were higher than fish located upstream, and these differences coincided with changes of the water quality. These results suggest that kidney HSP30 and liver HSP70 expression can serve as sensitive biomarkers for the presence of field environmental stressors in wild crucian carp.