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Effect of gamma irradiation on nucleolar activity in root tip cells of tetraploid Triticum turgidum ssp. durum L

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Abstract

Ionizing irradiation induces positive or negative changes in plant growth (M1) depending on the amount of irradiation applied to seeds or plant parts. The effect of 50–350 Gy gamma irradiation of kernels on nucleolar activity, as an indicator of metabolic activity, in root tip cells of tetraploid wheat Triticum turgidum ssp. durum L. cv. Orania (AABB) was investigated. The number of nucleoli present in nuclei and micronuclei as well as the mitotic index in the different irradiation dosages was used as an indicator of the cells entering mitosis, the chromosomes with nucleolar organizer regions that are active as well as chromosome doubling in the event of unsuccessful mitotic division. Nucleolar activity was investigated from 17.5 to 47.5 h after the onset of imbibition to study the first mitotic division and its consequences on the cells that were in G2 and G1 phases at the time of gamma irradiation. Untreated material produced a maximum of four nucleoli formed by the nucleolar organizing regions (NORs) on chromosomes 1B and 6B. In irradiated material, additional nucleoli were noted that are due to the activation of the NORs on chromosome 1A in micronuclei. The onset of mitosis was highly significantly retarded in comparison to the control due to checkpoints in the G2 phase for the repairing of damaged DNA. This study is the first to report on the appearance of nucleoli in micronuclei as well as activation of NORs in the micronuclei that are inactive in the nucleus and the effect of chromosome doubling on nucleolar activity in the event of unsuccessful mitotic division.

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Funding

The authors received funding for this research from the National Research Foundation (Grant Number: 91512).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARC-Small Grain, Field Crops, Division, Private Bag X29, Bethlehem, 9700, South Africa

    Eben von Well

  2. ARC-Biometry, Private Bag X5013, Stellenbosch, 7599, South Africa

    Mardé Booyse

  3. Central University of Technology, 1 Park Street, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa

    Annabel Fossey

Authors
  1. Eben von Well
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  2. Mardé Booyse
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  3. Annabel Fossey
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Contributions

Mardé Booyse—Statistical analysis.

Annabel Fossey—Writing of the article and literature study.

Eben von Well—Planning of the experiments, conduction of the experiments and writing of the article.

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Correspondence to Eben von Well.

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von Well, E., Booyse, M. & Fossey, A. Effect of gamma irradiation on nucleolar activity in root tip cells of tetraploid Triticum turgidum ssp. durum L. Protoplasma 259, 453–468 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-021-01684-4

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