title: Sensitivity of Bidens laevis L. to mutagenic compounds. Use of chromosomal aberrations as biomarkers of genotoxicity.
abstract: The wetland macrophyte Bidens laevis possesses suitable cytological characteristics for genotoxicity testing. To test its sensitivity as compared to terrestrial plants species currently in use in standardized assays, Methyl Methanesulfonate (MMS), N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) and Maleic Hydrazide (HM) were used. On the other hand, the insecticide Endosulfan (ES)--an environmentally relevant contaminant--was assayed in seeds and two-month old plants. Mitotic Index (MI), frequency of Chromosome Aberrations in Anaphase-Telophase (CAAT) and frequency of Abnormal Metaphases (AM) were analyzed. MH, MMS and ENU caused a significant decrease of the MI. MMS was aneugenic whereas MH and ENU were both aneugenic and clastogenic. ES caused a significant concentration-dependent increase of total- and aneugenic-CAAT in roots and a significant high frequency of AM at high concentrations. Because of its sensitivity to mutagenic substances, B. laevis can be regarded as a reliable and convenient species for genotoxicity assays especially if aquatic contaminants are evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Genética, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce (INTA), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, UNMdP, CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina; Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Departamento de Ciencias Marinas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UNMdP, Funes 3350, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, 1033 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Departamento de Ciencias Marinas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UNMdP, Funes 3350, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lukaszewicz
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología, Departamento de Ciencias Marinas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, UNMdP, Funes 3350, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, 1033 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: lujanm@mdp.edu.ar.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Menone
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Genética, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce (INTA), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, UNMdP, CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 1917, 1033 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Camadro
mesh_terms: D031176:Bidens / Q000187:drug effects*; D001681:Biological Assay; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate / Q000633:toxicity; D008300:Maleic Hydrazide / Q000633:toxicity; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000633:toxicity; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D012639:Seeds / Q000187:drug effects*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate; D008300:Maleic Hydrazide