Data_Sheet_4_Which Genes in a Typical Intertidal Seagrass (Zostera japonica) Indicate Copper-, Lead-, and Cadmium Pollution?.xlsx

Healthy seagrasses are considered a prime indicator of estuarine and coastal ecosystem function; however, as the only group of flowering plants recolonizing the sea, seagrasses are frequently exposed to anthropogenic heavy metal pollutants, which are associated with high levels of molecular damage. To determine whether biologically relevant concentrations of heavy metals cause systematic alterations in RNA expression patterns, we performed a gene expression study using transcriptome analyses (RNA-seq). We exposed the typical intertidal seagrass Zostera japonica to 0 and 50 μM of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) under laboratory conditions. A total of 18,266 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 2001 co-expressed genes directly related by Cu, Pb, and Cd stress. We also examined the effects of short-term heavy metal Cu, Pb, and Cd pulses on the accumulation of metals in Z. japonica and showed metal concentrations were higher in the shoots than in roots. Twelve differentially expressed genes were further analyzed for expression differences using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Our data suggest that as coastal seawater pollution worsens, the sensitive genes identified in this study may be useful biomarkers of sublethal effects and provide fundamental information for Z. japonica resistant gene engineering.

健康海草被视为河口与海岸生态系统功能的核心指示物种；然而作为唯一一类重返海洋的开花植物类群，海草常暴露于人为源重金属污染物中，这类污染物与高水平分子损伤存在密切关联。
为探明生物学相关浓度的重金属是否会引发RNA表达谱的系统性改变，本研究借助转录组分析（RNA-seq）开展了基因表达相关研究。
我们在实验室环境下，将潮间带典型海草日本鳗草（Zostera japonica）分别暴露于0 μM与50 μM的铜（Cu）、铅（Pb）及镉（Cd）环境中。
本次分析共鉴定出18266个差异表达基因（DEGs），其中2001个为铜、铅、镉胁迫共同调控的共表达基因。
此外，我们还考察了短期重金属脉冲暴露对日本鳗草体内金属蓄积的影响，结果发现金属在植株地上部分的浓度显著高于根部。
我们进一步选取12个差异表达基因，通过实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应（RT-qPCR）验证其表达差异情况。
本研究数据表明，随着近岸海水污染程度加剧，本研究鉴定得到的敏感基因可作为亚致死效应的有效生物标志物，同时为日本鳗草的抗性基因工程研究提供了基础理论支撑。