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Transcriptome analysis is important for interpreting the functional elements of the genome and revealing the molecular constituents of cells and tissues. Herein, differentially transcribed genes were identified by deep sequencing after zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to β-diketone antibiotics (DKAs); 23,129 and 23,550 mapped genes were detected in control and treatment groups, a total of 3238 genes were differentially expressed between control and treatment groups. Of these genes, 328 genes (213 up- and 115 down-regulation) had significant differential expression (p < 0.05) and an expression ratio (control/treatment) of >2 or

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) and tetracyclines (TCs), the two β-diketone antibiotics (DKAs), are two frequently detected pollutants in the environment; however, little data are available on their combined toxicity to zebrafish (Danio rerio). This study reports that toxicologic effects of combined DKA (FQs-TCs) exposure on zebrafish were comparable with or slightly less than those of TCs alone, showing that TCs played a major toxicologic role in the mixtures. The effects of FQs, TCs, and DKAs on malformation rates of zebrafish were dose dependent, with EC50 values of 481.3, 16.4, and 135.1 mg/L, respectively. According to the combined effects of DKAs on zebrafish hatching, mortality, and malformation rates, the interaction between FQs and TCs was shown to be antagonistic based on three assessment methods: Toxic Unit, Additional Index, and Mixture Toxic Index. The 1.56 mg/L TC and 9.38 mg/L DKA treatments resulted in higher zebrafish basal swimming rate compared with the control group at 120 hours postfertilization (hpf). in both light and light-to-dark photoperiod experiments. Under conditions of no obvious abnormality in cardiac development, the heart beats were decreased significantly because of DKA exposure, such as decreasing by ∼20% at 150 mg/L DKAs. Transmission electron microscopy observation of myocytes from DKA-exposed hearts displayed prominent interruptions and myofibrillar disorganization of the normal parallel alignment of thick and thin filaments, and partial edematous and dissolved membranes of cell nuclear tissues. At 90 mg/L DKAs, the transcriptional levels of the acta1a, myl7, and gle1b genes, related to heart development and skeletal muscle formation, were significantly changed. This is consistent with the swimming behavior and histopathologic results obtained by transmission electron microscopy. In summary, the toxicity of the combined DKAs to zebrafish was comparable with or less than that of TCs alone and had the ability to impair individual behaviors that are of great importance in the assessment of their ecologic fitness. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 736-750, 2016.

Herein, we developed a novel integrated apparatus to perform phase separation based on magnetic-stirring, salt-induced, liquid-liquid microextraction for determination of five fluoroquinolones in animal-based foods by HPLC analysis. The novel integrated apparatus consisted of three simple HDPE (high density polyethylene) parts that were used to separate the solvent from the aqueous solution prior to retrieving the extractant. The extraction parameters were optimized using the response surface method based on central composite design: 791 μL of acetone solvent, 2.5 g of Na2SO4, pH 1.7, 3.0 min of stir time, and 5.5 min centrifugation. The limits of detection were 0.07-0.53 μg kg(-1) and recoveries were 91.6-105.0% for the five fluoroquinolones from milk, eggs and honey. This method is easily constructed from inexpensive materials, extraction efficiency is high, and the approach is compatible with HPLC analysis. Thus, it has excellent prospects for sample pre-treatment and analysis of fluoroquinolones in animal-based foods.

β-Diketone antibiotics (DKAs) can produce chronic toxicity in aquatic ecosystems due to their pseudo-persistent in the environment. In this study, after long-term DKA exposure to zebrafish (Danio rerio), 47 protein spots had greater than 2-fold differential expression as compared to the control; there were 26 positive proteins with 14 up-regulated and 12 down-regulated. The main functions of the differentially expressed proteins were related to signal transduction mechanisms and the cytoskeleton. Of the 26 target genes, 11 genes were consistent between their transcriptional and translational levels. Low dose DKA exposure (4.69 and 9.38 mg/L) stimulated spontaneous movement in zebrafish. Changes in both creatine kinase activity and creatine concentration showed a similar trend to zebrafish activity. There was no obvious change in SV-BA after DKA exposure, while a reduction of heart rate was concomitant with increasing DKA concentrations. DKAs also induced severe histopathological changes in zebrafish heart tissue, such as dissolution of cristae and vacuolation of mitochondria. These results demonstrated that trace-level DKA exposure affects a variety of cellular and biological processes in zebrafish.