Publication Abstract

32P- postlabelling analysis of DNA adducts and EROD induction as biomarkers of genotoxin exposure in dab from British coastal waters

32P- postlabelling analysis of DNA adducts and EROD induction as biomarkers of genotoxin exposure in dab from British coastal waters

B.P. Lyons, C. Stewart and M.F. Kirby

Dab (Limanda limanda) were sampled from a number of polluted and unpolluted areas in British coastal waters. The ³²P-postlabelling assay was used to analyse the level of aromatic/hydrophobic DNA adducts in pooled samples of liver tissue. The mean levels of DNA adducts detected from areas known to receive anthropogenic pollutants ranged from 4.0 to 26.8 adducts per 10⁸ nucleotides, with all sites containing samples displaying DNA adduct profiles consisting of diagonal radioactive zones. In contrast no DNA adducts were detectable in samples from an unpolluted reference site. The ranking of polluted sites based on DNA adduct levels did not correspond with the ranking of sites based on sediment associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels, highlighting the problem of linking the presence of contamination with detectable biological responses. No correlation could be found in this study between EROD activity and the level of DNA adducts.

Reference:

B.P. Lyons, C. Stewart and M.F. Kirby, 2000. 32P- postlabelling analysis of DNA adducts and EROD induction as biomarkers of genotoxin exposure in dab from British coastal waters. Marine Environmental Research, 50(1-5): 575-579.

B.P. Lyons*, C. Stewart* and M.F. Kirby*

Marine Environmental Research, 50(1-5): 575-579.