Journal Article

Analysis of genetic and epigenetic effects of maize seeds in response to heavy metal (Zn) stress

Nardemir, Gokce, Erturk, Filiz Aygun, Agar, Guleray, Arslan, Esra

2015

Overview

Conditions of environmental stress are known to lead genetic and epigenetic variability in plants. DNA methylation is one of the important epigenetic mechanisms and plays a critical role in epigenetic control of gene expression. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the alteration of genome methylation induced by zinc stress by using coupled restriction enzyme digestion-random amplification (CRED-RA) technique in maize ( Zea mays L.) seedlings. In addition, to determine the effect of zinc on mitotic activity and phytohormone level, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mitotic index analysis were utilized. According to the results, mitotic index decreased in all concentrations of zinc except for 5 mM dose and chromosome aberrations such as c-mitosis, stickiness, and anaphase bridges were determined. It was also observed that increasing concentrations of zinc caused an increase in methylation patterns and decrease in gibberellic acid (GA), zeatin (ZA), and indole acetic acid (IAA) levels in contrast to abscisic acid (ABA) level. Especially increasing of ABA levels under zinc stress may be a part of the defense system against heavy metal accumulation in plants.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Abscisic acid / Abscisic Acid - metabolism / Acetic acid / Agriculture / anaphase / Aquatic Pollution / Bioaccumulation / Cell cycle / Chromatography / Chromosome aberrations / Corn / DNA methylation / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecotoxicology / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / environmental factors / Environmental Health / Environmental science / Environmental stress / Enzymes / Epigenesis, Genetic / Epigenetics / Gene expression / genome / Genomes / gibberellic acid / Gibberellins - metabolism / Heavy metals / high performance liquid chromatography / indole acetic acid / Indoleacetic Acids / Liquid chromatography / Metals / Metals, Heavy - analysis / Molecular biology / Physiology / Plant growth / Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism / Pollutants / Polymorphism / Proteins / Research Article / restriction endonucleases / Seedlings / Seedlings - metabolism / Seeds / Seeds - drug effects / Seeds - genetics / Seeds - metabolism / stickiness / Stress, Physiological / Studies / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control / Zea mays / Zea mays - drug effects / Zea mays - genetics / zeatin / Zinc / Zinc - analysis / Zinc - toxicity