title: Cytogenetic and microtubule array effects of the zineb-containing commercial fungicide formulation Azzurro(®) on meristematic root cells of Allium cepa L.
abstract: Zineb [ethylene bis(dithiocarbamate) zinc] is a widely employed foliar fungicide for agricultural and industrial applications. Allium cepa L. is a reliable model for the assessment of xenobiotic genotoxicity and cytotoxicity. We evaluated the effects of the zineb-containing commercial formulation Azzurro(®) (70% zineb) in cell cycle stages of the meristem root cells of A. cepa. The mitotic index (MI), chromosomal aberrations at anaphase/telophase (CAs), micronuclei (MN), and abnormalities in immunodetected microtubule structures, e.g., preprophasic band (PPB), mitotic spindle (MS), and phragmoplast (Phrag), were used as end-points. Azzurro(®) (1 and 10μg/ml) induced a significant increase in the frequency of CAs (P<0.05), and the higher concentration inhibited the MI (P<0.05) compared to control values. The frequency of MN did not differ from control values at any concentration. Treatment with 1μg/ml Azzurro(®) induced a significant increase in the frequency of abnormal PPB (P<0.01), MS (P<0.001), and Phrag (P<0.01) and, at 10μg/ml, enhancements in the frequencies of abnormal MS (P<0.05) and Phrag (P<0.05) were seen. A tubulin immunodetection assay showed that exposure to Azzurro(®) interferes with normal assembly of microtubule structures during mitosis.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires, Argentina. nandrioli@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nancy B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Andrioli
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soloneski
authors.forename: Marcelo L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Larramendy
authors.forename: Marta D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mudry
mesh_terms: D000490:Allium / Q000235:genetics*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000633:toxicity*; D018519:Meristem / Q000187:drug effects*; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000139:chemically induced; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects*; D008940:Mitotic Index; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects; D015038:Zineb / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; C472087:azzurro; D015038:Zineb