The blood clam Tegillarca granosa, a eukaryotic bottom-dwelling bivalve species has a strong ability to tolerate and accumulate cadmium. In our previous study, Nfu1 (iron-sulfur cluster scaffold protein), which is involved in Fe-S cluster biogenesis, was shown to be significantly up-regulated under Cd stress, as determined by proteomic analysis. To investigate the function of Nfu1 in cadmium (C...

Hemoglobin (Hb) is the major protein component of erythrocytes in animals with red blood, although it can serve additional functions beyond the transport of oxygen. The blood clam (Tegillarca granosa) is one of the few mollusks that has Hb, although the structure and function of molluskan Hbs remain unclear. We characterized two unique and highly compartmentalized blood clam hemoglobin genes, T...

The yellow clam Mesodesma mactroides (Deshayes, 1854) is a seasonal migrant that moves in spring to the sandy upper intertidal level. In this paper we analyze the spatial distribution of density and mean shell size of the yellow clam population in Monte Hermoso beach (Argentina) in winter 1995, i.e., three months before the mass mortality occurred in November 1995. Sampling covered 32 km of bea...

This work presents the results of a short-term natural detoxification experiment carried out with the contaminated Manila clam (Tapes philippinarum), an edible bivalve species subjected to intense exploitation in the Venice Lagoon. The concentrations of seventeen PCDD/F congeners and twelve dioxin-like PCBs were determined in sediments as well as T. philippinarum specimen sampled in a lagoon ar...

OBJECTIVES To identify the major allergenic proteins of clam (Paphia textile) and to investigate the effect of different cooking methods on the allergenicity of these identified proteins. METHODS Clam protein extracts were separated by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. IgE reactive proteins were then analyzed by immunoblotting with sera from patients with positive skin prick test...

Intense human activities facilitate the successful spread and establishment of non-indigenous aquatic organisms in marine and freshwater ecosystems. In some cases such intrusions result in noticeable and adverse changes in the recipient environments. In the Baltic Sea, the discovery and rapid initial spread of the North American wedge clam Rangia cuneata represents a new wave of invasion which ...

BACKGROUND Four species of the genus Donax (D. semistriatus, D. trunculus, D. variegatus and D. vittatus) are common on Iberian Peninsula coasts. Nevertheless, despite their economic importance and overexploitation, scarce genetic resources are available. In this work, we newly determined the complete mitochondrial genomes of these four representatives of the family Donacidae, with the aim of c...

In a resource management perspective, the understanding of the relative influence of the physical factors on species connectivity remains a major challenge and is also of great ecological and conservation biology interest. Despite the overfishing threat on the wedge clam Donax trunculus in Europe, relatively little information is known about its population genetic structure and connectivity and...

we describe a simple model that fits well with iranian economy, and extends a methodology which chary at el. (2007) demonstrated. in addition to four traditional wedges, we introduce additional trade wedge. we then evaluate the contribution of these wedges to the fluctuations in iran during last three years. because of international sanction, trading cost increases, and firms have difficulty to...

Behavioural interactions between ecosystem engineers may strongly influence community structure. We tested whether an invasive ecosystem engineer, the alga Caulerpa taxifolia, indirectly facilitated community diversity by modifying the behaviour of a native ecosystem engineer, the clam Anadara trapezia, in southeastern Australia. In this study, clams in Caulerpa-invaded sediments partially unbu...