Frontiers in Genetics (Jun 2015)
DNA damage in potato plants exposed to high level of NaCl stress
Abstract
We used the alkaline protocol of the modified plant comet assay for rapid detection of DNA damage in potato plants exposed to low (50 mmol l-1), moderate (100 mmol l-1) and high (200 mmol l-1) NaCl stress in hydroponic conditions. DNA damage was measured as the values of percentage of DNA in heads and tails, and tail length. After 12 h treatments of the rooted cuttings with NaCl, a dose response increase in DNA damage was evident both in leaves and roots although the first two doses were not significantly different in leaves. Ethyl methanesulphonate was used for the comparison of induced DNA damage. When H2O2 and phenol levels were examined, a dose response accumulation of stress metabolites was evident in both plant parts although leaves accumulated to a lesser degree. Low and moderate NaCl stress have potential to create DNA damage and induced stress metabolites while high NaCl stress has devastating effects on both DNA damage and oxidative stress parameters. Correlations between parameters were also evaluated with correlation network analysis. Plants exposed to high level of NaCl stress did not recover from the effects of NaCl after 4 h recovery period in dH2O. We assume that recovery of plants from these stressful conditions depends on the level of DNA damages. Therefore, measuring DNA damage or recovery from damage would help us determine whether the organisms exposed to more than one stress factors would recover or not.
Keywords
