Identification of pathways, gene networks, and paralogous gene families in Daphnia pulex responding to exposure to the toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa.

ABSTRACT: Although cyanobacteria produce a wide range of natural toxins that impact aquatic organisms, food webs, and water quality, the mechanisms of toxicity are still insufficiently understood. Here, we implemented a whole-genome expression microarray to identify pathways, gene networks, and paralogous gene families responsive to Microcystis stress in Daphnia pulex . Therefore, neonates of a sensitive isolate were given a diet contaminated with Microcystis to contrast with those given a control diet for 16 days. The microarray revealed 2247 differentially expressed (DE) genes (7.6% of the array) in response to Microcystis , of which 17% are lineage-specific (i.e., these genes have no detectable homology to any other gene in currently available databases) and 49% are gene duplicates (paralog

SUBMITTER: Asselman J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3730285 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature