title: Cytogenetic response of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris Linnaeus, 1753) (Pinaceae) to heavy metals.
abstract: We studied cytogenetic reactions of Scots pine seedlings to heavy metals - lead, cupric and zinc nitrates applied at concentrations 0.5 to 2000 µM. We determined the range of concentrations of heavy metals that causes mutagenic effect. Lead was found to cause the strongest genotoxicity as manifested by significant increase in the frequency of pathological mitosis, occurrence of fragmentations and agglutinations of chromosomes, various types of bridges, and a significant number of the micronuclei which were absent in the control. Possible cytogenetic mechanisms of the cytotoxic action of heavy metals are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Voronezh State University, Universitetskaya pl. 1, Voronezh, 394006, Russia.
authors.forename: Mikhail Vladimirovich
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Belousov
authors.forename: Olga Sergeyevna
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Mashkina
authors.forename: Vasily Nikolayevich
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Popov
keywords: Scots pine; chromosomal abnormalities; cupric nitrate; heavy metals; lead nitrate; micronuclei; mitosis; zinc nitrate