Accumulation of copper in the liver and gill tissues of Cyprinus carpio and its effect on the metal bunding protein synthesis

ABSTRACT MSc THESIS ACCUMULATION OF COPPER IN THE LIVER AND GILL TISSUES OF CYPMNUS CARPIO AND ITS EFFECT ON THE METAL BINDING PROTEIN SYNTHESIS Özgür FIRAT DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY INSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCDINCES UNIVERSITY OF ÇUKUROVA Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ferit KARGIN Year: 2004, Pages:59 Jury: Prof. Dr. Ferit KARGIN : Prof. Dr. Seyhan TÜKEL : Assist. Prof. Dr. Hatice K. GÜVENMEZ In this study, metal binding protein synthesis and accumulation of copper in the liver and gill tissues of Cyprinus carpio were investigated over 10 and 20 days period at concentrations of 0. 1 and 1.0 ppm Cu in the medium. In all experimental conditions, tissue accumulation of copper increased with increasing concentrations of copper in the medium and exposure period. The highest accumulation occured in the liver followed by the gill. Liver and gill proteins of C. carpio were determined by SDS- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In all concentrations tested, electrophoretic pattern of the liver and gill proteins consist of 1 1 and 9 bands, respectively. The 1 1 bands for liver are between 40 - 54 kDa medium molecular weights proteins (MMWP) for 5 bands and between 66 - 170 kDa high moleculer weight proteins (HMWP) for 6 bands. The result for gill (9 bands) are as follows: between 64 - 101 kDa HMWP for 4 bands and between 25 - 48 kDa MMWP for 5 bands. In all of the experimental groups, in densitometric measurements of 1 1 protein bands of liver, protein density of 170, 136, 113 and 88 kDa HMWP bands and 40 kDa MMWP band significantly increased when compared with the control groups. Similarly, gill protein density of 90 and 72 kDa HMWP bands and 30, 26 and 25 kDa MMWP bands a significant increase were determined. The increased density of protein bands of both gill and liver do not dependent upon exposure dose and time. Key Words :Copper, Fish, Accumulation, Metal Binding Proteins, Cyprinus carpio n