Implementation of endocrine disruptor assay using luminescent yeasts BLYES and BLYAS

• Grant number: 10/17918-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: February 01, 2011
• End date: April 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro
• Grantee: Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro
• Visiting researcher: Melanie Eldridge
• Visiting researcher institution: University of Tennessee (UT) , United States
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Tecnologia (FT). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Limeira
• Associated research grant: 07/58449-2 - Occurrence and estrogenic activity of endocrine disruptor chemicals in drinking water and in raw water supplies of the State of São Paulo, AP.TEM

Abstract

The guest researcher will help establishing the screening of estrogenic/androgenic activity in environmental samples using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae BLYES/BLYAS bioluminescent yeast strains, developed by the researcher and her research group (Sanseverino et al., 2005; Eldridge et al., 2007). The samples belonging to the project "Endocrine disruptors in drinking water and in surface and underground water in Sao Paulo State: occurrence and population exposure risks" are going to be evaluated. The researcher is also going to help on the appropriate interpretation of the data obtained in the project, integrating chemical analysis data to the in vitro bioassays data for evaluation of estrogenic activity (using BLYES and Leskinen strains (Leskinen et al., 2003)). CETESB, located in Sao Paulo, has the Biosafety Quality Certificate (CQB) and the laboratory where the assays will be perfomed has the approval of the Biosafety Internal Committee for using such organisms. The guest researcher is going to provide training for Prof. Gisela Umbuzeiro's group, in the Laboratory of Environmental Ecotoxicology and Microbiology (LEAL) - Unicamp, for establishing the in vivo bioassay for estrogenic activity, assessing vitellogenin expression in zebrafish (Danio rerio) (Henry et al., 2009). The researcher will provide assistance since the choice of appropriate materials, workplace adjustment, organisms maintenance, assay procedure, up to interpretation of data and statistical analysis. Approval of the Ethics Committee is going to be requested for this work. Additionally, the researcher will take part on the II Workshop on Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water from April 18th to 20th, 2011, in Campinas, SP. This workshop relates to the project mentioned, aiming the discussion of the subject with the scientific and students community, also involving companies producing drinking water. ELDRIDGE, M.L., SANSEVERINO, J., LAYTON, A.C., EASTER, J., SCHULTZ, T.W., SAYLER, G.S. Saccharomyces cerevisiae BLYAS: a new bioluminescent bioreporter for the detection of androgenic compounds. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73, 6012-6018, 2007.HENRY, T.B., MCPHERSON, J.T., ROGERS, E.D., HEAH, T.P., HAWKINS, S.A., LAYTON, A.C., SAYLER, G.S. Changes in the relative expression pattern of multiple vitellogenin genes in adult male and larval zebrafish exposed to exogenous estrogens. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A 154, 119-126, 2009.LESKINEN, P., VIRTA, M., KARP, M. One-step measurement of firefly luciferase activity in yeast. Yeast 20, 1109-1113, 2003.SANSEVERINO J., GUPTA, R.K., LAYTON, A.C., PATTERSON, S.S., RIPP, S., SAIDAK, L., SIMPSON, M.L., SCHULTZ, T.W., SAYLER, G.S. Saccharomyces cerevisiae BLYES expressing bacterial bioluminescent for rapid, sensitive detection of estrogenic compounds. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71, 4455-4460, 2005. (AU)