Modulation of NaCl induced DNA damage and oxidative stress in mungbean by pretreatment with sublethal dose

Abstract

Salinity is one of the most severe problems in worldwide agricultural production. The effect of salt on dry mass, total glutathione content, its regulatory enzymes, and extent of DNA damage in growing mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) seedlings was investigated. The salt stress decreased a dry mass accumulation in the seedlings. A total glutathione (GSH) content and the activities of the enzymes of GSH metabolism were adversely affected by the salt stress. The enhanced accumulation of reactive oxygen species under the NaCl stress caused an increase in DNA damage, measured using a comet assay, in both roots and leaves of the mungbean seedlings. The pretreatment of mungbean seeds with a sublethal dose of NaCl was able to overcome the adverse effects of the salt stress to variable extents by exhibiting significant alterations of all tested parameters, imparting better growth and metabolism of the mungbean seedlings.

Keywords

• comet assay
• glutathione metabolism
• hardening
• reactive oxygen species