Detection of lipid peroxidation and cytotoxicity
induced by aluminium
(Al) and cobalt (Co) ions in barbunia
root tip cells
Kultigin Cavusoglu*
and Emine
Yalcin
Department
of Biology, Faculty of Science and Art,
Giresun University, 28049, Debboy
Location, Giresun,
Turkey
(Received: August 29, 2008; Revised
received: January
20, 2009; Accepted: March 02, 2009)
Abstract: The aim of this study was to
investigate the cytotoxic effects of different
concentrations of Aluminium (Al)
and Cobalt (Co) heavy metal ions on Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Barbunia (Fabaceae) root tips. We
used the germination percentage (GP), root length (RL), weight gain (WG) and
micronucleus (MN) frequency as indicators of cytotoxicity,
and correlated these data with statistical parameters. Additionally to the cytogenetic analysis, lipid peroxidation
and DNA analyses were performed in root tips of barbunia
seeds treated with Al and Co metals. The seeds were divided into five groups as
control, Al and Co treatment groups. They were treated with 25 and 50 ppm doses of Al and Co during 7 days. The results indicated
that there was an alteration in the GP, RL,
WG and MN frequency depending on the treatment dose in the seeds exposed to Al
and Co metal ions when compared with the controls. Al and Co metal ions at both
the doses significantly reduced the GP, RL and WG in seeds of all the treatment
groups. The highest GP was observed in seeds of the control group (in
proportion as 96%). 25 and 50 ppm doses of Co and Al caused 30 , 50 and 42,
64% decrease of seed germination, respectively. In the control group, the final
weights of all the seeds increased about 1.31 g when compared to initial
weight. The mean RL of control seeds were measured as 3.71 cm at the end of
experimental period. In Co and Al
groups, the final weights of seeds increased about 0.34 g and 0.19 g according to initial weight at 50 ppm dose,
respectively. But, Al and Co ions caused a dose-dependent increase in the
frequency of MN. The highest frequency of MN was observed at 50 ppm dose of Al and
least frequency of MN was observed at 25 ppm dose of Co. Besides, 25 and 50 ppm
concentrations of Al and Co significantly enhanced the lipid peroxidation and caused an increase in malondialdehyde
(MDA) levels at both the doses. In roots treated with 25 and 50 ppm doses of Al, the increase of MDA was about 62 and 136%
according to control, respectively. In Co-treated roots, the increase of MDA
was about 31 and 91% according to the control at 25 and 50 ppm
doses, respectively. The investigated parameters (except MN and MDA) were
higher in the seeds exposed to Co than the seeds treated with Al. Moreover, it was observed that the yields of DNA
in the seeds treated with Al and Co metals were lower than recorded in the
controls. Hence, DNA yields exposed to Al and Co were run ahead on agarose gel according to the control group. The results of
the present study indicate that Al and Co metal ions have toxic effects on barbunia root tip cells, and the selected parameters such
as the GP, RL, WG, MN and MDA are very sensitive and useful biomarkers for biomonitoring these effects.
Key
words: Aluminium
and cobalt, Toxicity, Barbunia bean, Micronucleus, Seed physiology
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