Table 1

Gene expression changes seen in earthworms exposed to five different soil contaminants

Copper
 Cadmium
 Fluoranthene
 Atrazine
 TNT
Species
 L. rubellus
 L. rubellus
 L. rubellus
 L. rubellus
 Eisenia fetida
Exposure time
 70 days
 28 days
 28 days
 28 days
 28 days
Exposure concentration range (mg/kg)
 10-480
 13-500
 14-533
 19-59
 2-39
Metabolic category




     Detoxification
 Y
 Y
 Y
 Y
     Oxidative stress
 Y
 Y
 Y
Y
     Mitochondrial electron transport
 Y
 Y
 Y
 Y
 Y
     Calcium binding and signaling
 Y
 Y

Y
     Iron homeostasis and oxygen transport
 Y
 Y

Y
     Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis



Y
     Impaired immune function
Y

Y
     Protein damage repair and catabolism
 Y
Y
 Y
     Lipid metabolism
 Y



     Glycolysis and carbohydrate metabolism
 Y



     Cell cycle and apoptosis
 Y

Y
     Muscle contraction
Y

Y
     DNA damage and repair
Y
Y
     Neurological dysfunction



Y
References
 [10]
 [11]
 [11]
 [11]
 [12,13]

Y indicates the broad metabolic categories in which significant changes in gene expression were observed in response to the indicated contaminants.

van Straalen and Roelofs Journal of Biology 2008 7:19   doi:10.1186/jbiol80