V. KABILA P.SARAVANA BHAVAN AND P. GERALDINE
Abstract
This study examines the induction of the major stress protein, stress-70 in the gills and hepatopancreas of the freshwater edible prawn, Macrobraclzium malcohnsonii, which was exposed to 1/6th of the 96 h LC 50 of nickel (180 pg/L). The toxic effect exerted by nickel on M. rnalcolmsonii resulted in the induction of stress-70 to combat pro teotoxicity. This cellular stress response was found to be time-dependent and tissue- specific. In the gills, the induction of synthesis of stress-70 was recorded upto 24 h of exposure to nickel, whereas in the hepatopancreas, the induction of stress-70 was not observed. These differences in the induction of stress proteins among tissues could be used in identifying the target tissues as well as routes of exposure in ecotoxicological studies.