Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (Comet) assay with plants: Research on DNA repair and ecogenotoxicity testing

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2013-06, Vol.92 (1), p.1-9
• Main Authors: Ventura, Lorenzo, Giovannini, Annalisa, Savio, Monica, Donà, Mattia, Macovei, Anca, Buttafava, Armando, Carbonera, Daniela, Balestrazzi, Alma
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Air Pollutants - chemistry; Air Pollutants - metabolism; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomonitoring; Comet Assay; DNA - analysis; DNA Damage; DNA Methylation; DNA Repair; Economic plant physiology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities and techniques; Genotoxic stress; Ionizing radiation; Metals, Heavy - chemistry; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; Plants - metabolism; SCGE; Techniques; Toxicity Tests
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.03.006

•SCGE technique is now expanding in plant biology.•SCGE is a versatile tool to evaluate a number of DNA processes.•Combination of plants and SCGE as biosensor asset to monitor environment.•Recent reports describe SCGE analysis for improvement of Mutation Breeding protocol. Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis is currently used to investigate the cell response to genotoxic agents as well as to several biotic and abiotic stresses that lead to oxidative DNA damage. Different versions of Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis have been developed in order to expand the range of DNA lesions that can be detected and guidelines for their use in genetic toxicology have been provided. Applications of Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis in plants are still limited, compared to animal systems. This technique is now emerging as a useful tool in assessing the potential of higher plants as stable sensors in ecosystems and source of information on the genotoxic impact of dangerous pollutants. Another interesting application of Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis deals with Mutation Breeding or the combined use of irradiation and in vitro culture technique to enhance genetic variability in elite plant genotypes. SCGE, in combination with in situ detection of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) induced by γ-rays and expression analysis of both DNA repair and antioxidant genes, can be used to gather information on the radiosensitivity level of the target plant genotypes.