Effects Of Gene Mutation And Methylation Under Petroleum Hydrocarbon Emulsion Pollution On Sea Urchin

Offshore oil exploration and oil spill accidents have led to lots of petroleum hydrocarbons into the marine environment, and they have also caused long-term and short-term damage to the marine ecosystem, so it is necessary to assess the biological toxic effects of oil spill pollution. Because the water soluble components of petroleum hydrocarbons is potentially toxic ingredients. In this paper, through laboratory simulation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution exposure tests measure the chronic toxic effects of120#fuel oil WAF and dis-WAF on model organisms sea urchin, at the molecular level to research the toxicity mechanism of petroleum hydrocarbons, and provide basic date for oil spills risk assessment.Firstly, by using the technology of high performance liquid chromatography to detect the genome DNA methylation level of sea urchin exposed to different concentrations and different time. The results suggest that:as the growth of the pollution exposure time, both WAF and dis-WAF test groups display the low DNA methylation phenomenon. Moreover, the dis-WAF test group leads to lower levels of DNA methylation.Secondly, by using the technology of polymerase chain reaction and single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) to analysis the impact of sea urchin SP-Lox gene involved intestinal and SP-runt gene involved cell differentiation exposed to120#fuel oil WAF and dis-WAF. The results suggest that:SP-Lox gene does not appear abnormal; At the same time. SP-runt gene appears gene mutation exposed the dis-WAF test group after21days. Gene sequencing show that base T have became to base C at the coding region of986. where amino acid changed from valine into lactamine.Finally, by comparing the results of chronic toxicity tests on sea urchin, it is showed that:the dispersant increase the soluble fraction of petroleum hydrocarbons, especially the PAHs. Therefore, the toxicity of the WAF is greater than the dis-WAF in the same oil content. The sea urchins can appear abnormal gene expression and gene mutations if they are exposed to oil-polluted environment for a long time.