title: Protoplasts: a friendly tool to study aluminum toxicity and coffee cell viability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aluminum toxicity is a major limiting factor with regard to crop production and quality in most acidic soils around the world. We propose the use of C. arabica L. protoplasts to evaluate the toxic effects of aluminum, the nuclear localization of aluminum and propensity of aluminum to cause DNA damage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After protoplasts were exposed to aluminum (Al) for varying periods of time (0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 min), we detected a reduction in protoplast viability. Additionally, we observed a rapid decline in the ability of protoplasts to synthesize DNA following exposure to Al for 30 min. Furthermore, DNA damage was observed after 10 min of treatment with Al.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Protoplasts can be used to evaluate the effects of Al upon entry into the cell, which affects the structure of the nucleus. These results indicate that protoplasts provide a useful model for the study Al toxicity at the cellular level.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC Mexico.
authors.forename: Wilberth
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Poot-Poot
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC Mexico.|CONACYT, Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Campus de Ciencias Exactas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Periférico Norte, Km 33.5, Tablaje catastral 13615 Col Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97203 Mérida, YUC Mexico.
authors.forename: Beatriz A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rodas-Junco
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC Mexico.
authors.forename: J Armando
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205 Mérida, YUC Mexico.
authors.forename: S M Teresa
authors.initials: SMT
authors.lastname: Hernández-Sotomayor
keywords: Aluminum toxicity; C. arabica; DNA damage; Morin; Protoplasts