Cloning and characterization of cDNA probes for the analysis of metallothionein gene expression in the Mediterranean bivalves: Ruditapes decussatus and Cerastoderma glaucum.

cDNA probes have been developed for subsequent use in monitoring the cadmium exposure of the clam Ruditapes decussatus and the cockle Cerastoderma glaucum using metallothionein (MT) gene expression in different tissues of these species. Two partial MT cDNAs were isolated from Ruditapes decussatus and Cerastoderma glaucum. The identification of the nucleotide sequences showed that the cDNAs consist of 480 bp coding 72 amino acid proteins containing 21 cysteine residues organized in Cys-X-Cys motifs as classically described for MTs. The induction of MT gene expression in CdCl(2) treated bivalves was confirmed by dot blot analysis and suggests a potential specific tissue expression rate.