Carbonic Anhydrase as Pollution Biomarker: An Ancient Enzyme with a New Use

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Maria Giulia Lionetto¹  Roberto Caricato²  Maria Elena Giordano²  Elisa Erroi² 

[1] Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (Di.S.Te.B.A.), University of Salento, Via prov.le Lecce-Monteroni, Lecce 73100, Italy;

关键词: carbonic anhydrase;    biomarker;    heavy metals;    pesticides;    biomonitoring;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph9113965

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The measurement of cellular and sub-cellular responses to chemical contaminants (referred to as biomarkers) in living organisms represents a recent tool in environmental monitoring. The review focuses on carbonic anhydrase, a ubiquitous metalloenzyme which plays key roles in a wide variety of physiological processes involving CO₂ and HCO₃⁻. In the last decade a number of studies have demonstrated the sensitivity of this enzyme to pollutants such as heavy metals and organic chemicals in both humans and wildlife. The review analyses these studies and discusses the potentiality of this enzyme as novel biomarker in environmental monitoring and assessment.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.