Ttrosine Hydroxylase in Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes): cDNA Cloning and Molecular Monitoring of TH Gene Expression As a Biomarker

송사리 Tyrosine Hydroxylase: cDNA 클로닝 및 생물지표로서의 TH 유전자 발현의 분자생물학적 추적

The release of hazardous waste materials into the environment poses serious risks in humans and ecosystems. The risk assessment of environmental pollutants including hazardous chemicals requires a comprehensive measurement of hazard and exposure of the chemicals that can be achieved by toxicity evaluation using a biological system such as biomarkers. In this report we have tried to develop a biomarker used to elucidate a molecular basis of, and to monitor abnormal behaviors caused by diazinon in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) as a model organism. First, an attempt was made to clone tyrosine hydroxylase gene from Japanese medaka that would be a candidate for a biomarker for neuronal modulations and behaviors. For monitoring experiments at behavioral and molecular biological levels, the fish were treated under different sublethal conditions of diazinon and their behavioral responses were observed . In this study we have successfully cloned a partial TH gene from the medaka fish through PCR screening of an ovary cDNA library. DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the amplified fragment was 327 bp encoding 109 amino acids. Comparing the DNA sequence of medaka TH with other species, TH gene revealed the DNA sequence was completely identical to that of rat TH. In the RT-PCR, 330 Up of mRNA was consistently amplified in all the treated samples including control There were no significant differences in the TH expression level regardless of treating concentrations (1∼5,000 ppb) and time (0∼48 hr) The reason appeared to be that RT-PCR was not performed using through a quantitative analysis normalized against an actin gene expression. Organ or tissue - specific detection of TH activity and mRNA as biomarkers will be a useful monitoring tool for neurobehavioral changes in fish influenced by toxic chemicals. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of locomotive patterns and its correlation with the neurochemical and molecular data would be highly useful in measuring toxicity and hazard ofvarious environmental pollutants.

최근 독성 유해물질의 환경으로의 방출로 인해 인간 및 생태계에 대한 위해성 문제가 심각하게 제기되고 있다. 독성화학물질을 포함한 여러 환경 오염물질의 위해성평가는 화학물질의 유해성과 노출량 측정을 동시에 측정함으로써 가능한데 이 경우 생물지표(biomarker)가 최근 각광을 받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 동물의 행동에 관련된 신경전달물질의 생성에 결정적 역할을 하는 tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)및 그 유전자가 생물지표로서 이용 가능성이 있는지를 검토하였다. Ovary cDNA library의 PCR 스크리닝을 통한 송사리 TH유전자를 부분적으로 를론하였으며(327 bp), DNA염기서열 분석 결과 쥐 (rat)의 TH유전자와 동일한 염기서열을 보였다. 그리고 다이아지논 처리구 및 무처리구에서 송사리의 머리부분(head)및 몸통 부분(body)에서 추출된 총RNA에 TH mRNA가 존재함을 RT-PCR를 통하여 확인하였다. 그러나 다이아지논의 처리효과가 송사리의 행동에 미치는 영향을 보기 위해서는 TH의 발현을 보다 정량적으로 검토할 필요가 있을 것으로 판단된다. 생물지표로서 TH의 활성 및 mRNA의 기관별 또는 조직별 검출은 독성물질에 영향을 받는 어류 신경행동 변화를 모니터링 할 수 있는 유용한 수단이 될 것이다. 나아가 환경관리에 있어서 신경화학물질과 분자생물학적 상관관계를 통한 이상반응행동의 분석은 환경 위해성평가에 상당히 기여할 것이다.