Investigation of DNA changes in wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) induced by cadmium using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis

Abstract

In recent years, many plants have been used as bioindicators or living indices and several experiments have been conducted to evaluate the genotoxic effects of environmental pollution on plant species. Plants such as Arabidopsis and barley have been used as biological indicators by several researchers and have been able to identify DNA changes using molecular markers. This study was conducted on wheat as an important cereal that provides human daily food and has an important role in human health. The purpose of study was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of cadmium on amounts of the soluble proteins, investigation of growth and possible changes to the structure of DNA using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker. In the present study, wheat seedlings were used for detection of genotoxic effects of cadmium contamination in the range of 0 to 120 mg-1. The limiting effects of cadmium on length of root and plant height and total soluble proteins in root were quite evident by increase of cadmium concentration. Change in DNA was observed using RAPD marker as there was change in number of bands, present or absent of bands at the range of above 5 mg^-1 cadmium concentration. In the previous studies conducted by several researchers, variation in DNA bands was reported at levels above 30 mg^-1, whereas in the present study, band variation was observed at the concentration of 5 mg^-1. This study also showed that DNA stability is highly affected by cadmium pollution at >5 mg^-1 which was identified by RAPD markers.

Keywords: Bioindicator, cadmium, genotoxic, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker, Triticum aestivum L

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(16), pp. 1921-1929