Maleic hydrazide induces genotoxic effects but no DNA damage detectable by the comet assay in tobacco and field beans.
The plant growth regulator and herbicide maleic hydrazide (MH) induced a high frequency of somatic mutations in leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var. xanthi) and a high yield of chromosome aberrations in roots of field beans (Vicia faba, karyotype ACB). In contrast, no significant increase in MH-induced DNA damage, as measured by the Comet assay, could be demonstrated in either plant species. The absence of DNA migration induced by MH was not effected in tobacco by either pH of the MH solution, the sampling time after MH treatment or continuous MH treatment for 14 days. To our knowledge, MH represents the first agent which has proved to be highly mutagenic and clastogenic but does not cause DNA damage as measured by the Comet assay in the same experimental system.
Gichner
T
T
Institute of Experimental Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Karlovce 1a, 160 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic. gichner@ueb.cas.cz
Menke
M
M
Stavreva
D A
DA
Schubert
I
I
D002842:Chromatids / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000187:drug effects*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008300:Maleic Hydrazide / Q000633:toxicity*; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009154:Mutation; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D013997:Time Factors; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
D018744:DNA, Plant; D006540:Herbicides; D008300:Maleic Hydrazide