Nikitha Divakaran and N. R. Menon
The cellular stress responses of most organisms in part involve the induction of a class of proteins called heat shock or stress proteins as a result of damage to existing proteins. Cellular proteins can be damaged by chemical exposures known to induce various stress proteins. Electrophoretical analysis were performed on Perna viridis hepatopancreas samples, in order to assess a possible correlation between the occurrence of 24.6 kDa protein and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure. A correlation between the PAHs concentrations and time of appearance was highlighted, to demonstrate this protein is synthesized in response to PAHs exposure. About the identity of 24.6 kDa protein, it could be an enzyme involved in detoxification reactions, probably Glyoxalase I.