Identification and mRNA expression of two 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase genes in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis following exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (17β-HSDs) are multifunctional enzymes involved in the metabolism of steroids, fatty acids, retinoids and bile acid. In this study, two novel types of 17β-HSDs (named as MgHsd17b10 and MgHsd17b12) were cloned from Mytilus galloprovincialis by using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) approaches. Sequence analysis showed that MgHsd17b10 and MgHsd17b12 encoded a polypeptide of 259 and 325 amino acids, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MgHsd17b10 and MgHsd17b12 were evolutionarily clustered with other invertebrate 17β-HSD type 10 and 17β-HSD type 12 homologues. The MgHsd17b10 and MgHsd17b12 transcripts could be detected in all examined tissues with higher expression levels in digestive glands and gonad. After exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals (Bisphenol A or 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether), the expression of MgHsd17b10 and MgHsd17b12 transcripts was both down-regulated in digestive glands. These findings suggest that MgHsd17b10 and MgHsd17b12 perhaps play an important role in the endocrine regulation of M. galloprovincialis.