title: Mineral nutrient imbalance, total antioxidants level and DNA damage in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) exposed to heavy metals.
abstract: The present study aimed to analyze the biological effects induced by bioaccumulation of metals in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Effects of mineral nutrient imbalance, total antioxidants level and DNA damage induced by accumulation of heavy metals, were investigated in bean seedlings treated with two selected metal concentrations for 7 days. Metal content is analyzed by inductively coupled plasma - atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), for total antioxidants level assessment the Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay is used and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was applied for investigation of DNA damages. The increasing metal concentration in the treatment medium changed synchronously metal content in samples, and decreased total antioxidant activity in all samples with exception only for samples treated with Ni and Cd. The obtained "DNA fingerprints" demonstrated that the increasing metal concentrations induced changes in RAPD profiles (disappearance and/or appearance of bands in comparison with untreated control samples). The highest number of missing bands was observed in samples treated with zinc (total 4 bands) and nickel (total 4 bands) at both concentrations. These results suggested that mineral nutrient imbalance is involved in changes of antioxidant levels and DNA damages of the seedlings, which may help to understand the mechanism of metal toxicity in plants.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Goce Delčev University, Krste Misirkov str. bb, POB 201, 2000 Štip, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Darinka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gjorgieva
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kadifkova Panovska
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medical Sciences, Goce Delčev University, Krste Misirkov str. bb, POB 201, 2000 Štip, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruskovska
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bačeva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Trajče
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stafilov
keywords: FRAP; Genotoxicity; Heavy metals; Phaseolus vulgaris; RAPD