Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis of Microcrustaceans Moina macrocopa Exposed to Cadmium

Abstract

              Exposure of microcrustacean Moina macrocopa neonates to cadmium chloride at a concentration of 160 µg L^-1 resulted in significant nuclear damages as judged by single cell gel electrophoresis or Comet Assay. DNA damages were assessed quantitatively by measuring percentage of tail DNA and tail moment. It was found that the % tail DNA and the tail moment of the cadmium treated group were 4.44 ± 1.40 % and 0.17 ± 0.07 as compared to the values of 0.32 ± 0.08 % and 0.00 ± 0.00 in the control group, respectively. The values of both % tail DNA and the tail moment of cadmium treated group were significantly higher than that of the control group, having p < 0.05 in both cases. Examination of the morphology of the cell nuclei revealed that the nuclei of most cells in the control group are rounder than the cadmium treated group.