Radiation-responsive genes in soil arthropods

Abstract

Conservation of biodiversity requires understandings of the effects of chemicals and ionizing radiation on diverse organisms not only at population levels but also at molecular levels. We identified ionizing radiation-inducible genes in the collembolan Folsomia candida. Transcripts induced by 26 Gy of acute gamma-ray irradiation were screened using high-coverage expression profiling. Those included the gene encoding proteins involved in detoxification of oxidative stress, DNA repair, and molting. Some of them were also significantly induced by 200 mGy of acute X-ray irradiation.