AUTHOR=Oliveira Cláudia S. , Segatto Ana L. A. , Nogara Pablo A. , Piccoli Bruna C. , Loreto Élgion L. S. , Aschner Michael , Rocha João B. T. 

TITLE=Transcriptomic and Proteomic Tools in the Study of Hg Toxicity: What Is Missing?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2020.00425

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2020.00425

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>Mercury is a hazardous substance that has unique neurodevelopmental toxic effects in humans. However, the precise sequence of molecular events that culminate in Hg-induced neuropathology is still unknown. Though the omics studies have been generating an enormous amount of new data about Hg toxicity, our ability to interpret such a large quantity of information is still limited. In this opinion article, we will reinforce the necessity of new high throughput and accurate analytical proteomic methodologies, especially, thiol and selenol-proteome. Overall, we posit that improvements in thiol- and selenol-proteomic analyses will be pivotal in identifying the primary cellular targets of Hg. However, a better understanding of the complex cascades and molecular pathways involved in its toxicity will require extensive complementary studies in more complex systems.</p>