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Evaluation of Stage-Dependent Genotoxic Effect of Roundup® (Glyphosate) on Caiman latirostris Embryos

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Abstract

The agricultural expansion over the past decades, along with the associated increase in the use of pesticides, represents a high risk for many wild species. Caiman latirostris is a South American caiman with many features that make it highly vulnerable to pesticide exposure. Considering previous finding on the genotoxicity of the glyphosate-based formulation Roundup® in this species, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible stage-dependent effect of this compound on C. latirostris embryos through the Comet assay (CA), micronuclei (MN), and nuclear abnormalities (NA) tests. Caiman eggs were exposed to three effective concentrations of Roundup® (750, 1250, 1750 µg/egg) in three different stages of the incubation period (total duration 70 ± 3 days at 31 ± 2 °C) of approximately 23 days each. A statistically significant difference in DNA damage determined by the CA was found between groups exposed to different concentrations of RU (p < 0.05) and the negative control, but no difference was observed among the three stages of exposure within any treatment (p > 0.05). There was no differences in the MN or NA frequencies between the different groups and the negative control (p > 0.05), nor among the different stages within each treatment. The results obtained in this study indicate that RU produce DNA damage on C. latirostris embryos independently of the developmental stage where the exposure occurs, implying an important risk for the species during all its period of development, when pesticide application is at maximum rate.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the collaboration of other members of Proyecto Yacaré in the experimental assay. This work was supported by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT -2011-1349 to GLP), Universidad Nacional del Litoral (CAI+D 2011-50120110100189 to GLP) and Proyecto Yacaré and Yacarés Santafesinos (Gob. Sta. Fe/MUPCN).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cátedra de Toxicología, Farmacología y Bioquímica Legal, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Cdad. Universitaria Paraje el Pozo, CP 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Pamela Mariana Burella, Maria Fernanda Simoniello & Gisela Laura Poletta

  2. “Proyecto Yacaré” Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados (FHUC-UNL/MASPyMA), Aristóbulo del Valle 8700, CP 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Gisela Laura Poletta

  3. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Predio CONICET “Dr. Alberto Cassano”, Colectora Ruta Nac. Nº 168, Km. 0, Paraje El Pozo, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Pamela Mariana Burella & Gisela Laura Poletta

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  1. Pamela Mariana Burella
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  2. Maria Fernanda Simoniello
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Correspondence to Pamela Mariana Burella.

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Burella, P.M., Simoniello, M.F. & Poletta, G.L. Evaluation of Stage-Dependent Genotoxic Effect of Roundup® (Glyphosate) on Caiman latirostris Embryos. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 72, 50–57 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-016-0311-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-016-0311-7

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