Transgenic plants are sensitive bioindicators of nuclear pollution caused
by the Chernobyl accident
Igor Kovalchuk1, 2, 4, Olga Kovalchuk1, 2, 4, Andrey Arkhipov3
& Barbara Hohn2
1
Ivano-Frankivsk State Medical Academy,
Galitska Str.2, 284000 Ivano-Frankivsk,
Ukraine.
2
Friedrich Miescher Institute, P.O.Box
2543, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.
3
Chernobyl Scientific and Technical Center of International
Research, Shkolnaya Str.6, 255620
Chernobyl, Ukraine.
4
The first two authors contributed equally to this research.
Correspondence should be addressed to Barbara Hohn Corresponding author (Barbara.Hohn@fmi.ch).
recombinationArabidopsis thalianaradiation
To evaluate the genetic consequences of radioactive contamination originating
from the nuclear reactor accident of Chernobyl on indigenous populations of
plants and animals, it is essential to determine the rates of accumulating
genetic changes in chronically irradiated populations. An increase in germline
mutation rates in humans living close to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
site, and a two- to tenfold increase in germline mutations in barn swallows
breeding in Chernobyl have been reported. Little is known, however, about
the effects of chronic irradiation on plant genomes. Ionizing radiation causes
double-strand breaks in DNA, which are repaired via illegitimate or homologous
recombination. We make use of Arabidopsis thaliana plants carrying
a -glucuronidase marker gene as a recombination substrate to monitor
genetic alterations in plant populations, which are caused by nuclear pollution
of the environment around Chernobyl. A significant (p<0.05) increase
in somatic intrachromosomal recombination frequencies was observed at nuclear
pollution levels from 0.1−900 Ci/km2, consistent with
an increase in chromosomal aberrations. This bioindicator may serve as a convenient
and ethically acceptable alternative to animal systems.
-glucuronidase marker gene as a recombination substrate to monitor
genetic alterations in plant populations, which are caused by nuclear pollution
of the environment around Chernobyl. A significant (p<0.05) increase
in somatic intrachromosomal recombination frequencies was observed at nuclear
pollution levels from 0.1−900 Ci/km2, consistent with
an increase in chromosomal aberrations. This bioindicator may serve as a convenient
and ethically acceptable alternative to animal systems.
