Molecular characterization of Beclin 1 in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) and its expression after waterborne cadmium exposure

Beclin 1 plays an important role in autophagy and apoptosis which are well documented in mammals. However, relevant reports are rare in fish. This study characterized Beclin 1 of the rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus (rmBeclin 1), which encodes a peptide of 447 amino acids using RT-PCR and RACE. The deduced peptide showed 96.4 and 80.8 % similarity to Beclin 1 of common carp and human, respectively. Semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed that rmBeclin 1 was ubiquitously expressed in all tested tissues of male and female fish in all developmental stages, even unfertilized eggs. RT-qPCR revealed that rmBeclin 1 mRNA transcripts were significantly up-regulated in gills after a 12 h treatment with waterborne CdCl but were decreased thereafter. However, rmBeclin 1 expression was decreased in the brain, but it was not significantly changed in other tissues. Subchronic CdCl exposure significantly increased rmBeclin 1 in the brain, but it distinctly decreased rmBeclin 1 in the gill and hepatopancreas. A dose-dependent effect was not observed in mature fish treated for 96 h, but a dose-dependent effect existed in immature fish treated for 10 days. Longer treatment (10 day) caused a significantly higher expression of rmBeclin 1 in the larvae groups. These data suggest that alterations in rmBeclin 1 after CdCl exposure are tissue-specific and time-related and that the dose-dependent effect was restricted to a certain concentration range and exposure time.