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. 2018 Feb;24(1):89-97.
doi: 10.1007/s12298-017-0491-2. Epub 2017 Dec 13.

Plants genotoxicity as pollution bioindicator in Jordan using comet assay

Wesam Al Khateeb  1
Affiliations

Plants genotoxicity as pollution bioindicator in Jordan using comet assay

Wesam Al Khateeb. Physiol Mol Biol Plants. 2018 Feb.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess genotoxicity in wild plants grown in Jordan as a pollution bioindicator. Comet assay was used to evaluate the level of DNA damage in plants collected from different areas in Jordan. Significant differences in plant DNA damage index and frequency were observed among sites of collection. Results show that plants collected from Aqaba back road and Ghour Assaal had significantly higher damage values. In contrast, plants collected from Wadi Rum, Al Naqab Heights, Swaimeh/Deadsea and Alshoneh Aljanobyeh showed low levels of DNA damage. A similar trend was observed for lipid peroxidation rates. Furthermore, heavy metal analysis showed that plants collected from Aqaba back road and Aqaba airport had the highest Al, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb contents. A significant correlation was observed between DNA Damage Index, DNA Damage Frequency, lipid peroxidation rate, soil Cu, Cd and Pb biomarkers, indicating that heavy metals pollution is a major source for genotoxicity in these plant species. Finally, our results approved the feasibility of using plants and Comet assay system as a diagnostic tool for pollution in any environment adversely affected by different pollution sources.

Keywords: Bioindicators; Comet assay; DNA damage; Heavy metals; LPO; Pollution.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Plants and soil sampling sites in Jordan (a). Representative comet assay images of the different DNA damage classes used to calculate DNA damage index (b)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
DNA damage index (a) and damage frequency (b) of different plant species collected from eight sites in Jordan. Error bars represent standard error (n = 4). Means with different letters are considered significantly different according to Tukey’s test at P ≤ 0.05
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Lipid peroxidation rate expressed as MDA content of different plant species collected from eight sites in Jordan. Error bars represent standard error (n = 4). Means with different letters are considered significantly different according to Tukey’s test at P ≤ 0.05
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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