Determination of the Genetic Relationships Among Salvia Species by RAPD and ISSR Analyses.

OBJECTIVES: Salvia L. is the largest genus of the family Lamiaceae, which includes approximately 1000 species. According to recent studies, 100 Salvia species in total grow in Turkey. At the same time, 53% of them are endemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic relationships among 15 Salvia species that grow in wild conditions in Turkey's Eastern Anatolia region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The genetic relationships among 15 Salvia species were investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and random amplified polymorphic-DNA (RAPD) profiles in the present study. Thirteen ISSR primers and 11 RAPD primers were utilized. The ISSR and RAPD data were combined to construct the unweighted pair group method using arithmetic average cluster. RESULTS: Based on the RAPD and ISSR data, the Salvia species were classified into six groups. As a result of the combined analysis, it was shown that similarities between the species varied between 0.54 (S. rosifolia-S. sclarea, S. rosifolia-S. limbata, and S. staminea-S. verticillata) and 0.93 (S. sclera-S. divaricata). CONCLUSION: The findings show that the two markers represent powerful instruments for assessing the genetic diversity and relationships among Salvia species.

Protective role of humic acids against picloram-induced genomic instability and DNA methylation in Phaseolus vulgaris.

Picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid) is a liquid auxinic herbicide used to control broad-leaved weeds. Picloram is representing a possible hazard to ecosystems and human health. Therefore, in this study, DNA methylation changes and DNA damage levels in Phaseolus vulgaris exposed to picloram, as well as whether humic acid (HA) has preventive effects on these changes were investigated. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques were used for identification of DNA damage and coupled restriction enzyme digestion-random amplification (CRED-RA) techniques were used to detect the changed pattern of DNA methylation. According to the obtained results, picloram (5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/l) caused DNA damage profile changes (RAPDs) increasing, DNA hypomethylation and genomic template stability (GTS) decreasing. On the other hand, different concentrations of applied HA (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%) reduced hazardous effects of picloram. The results of the experiment have explicitly indicated that HAs could be an alternative for reducing genetic damage in plants. In addition to the alleviate effects of humic acid on genetic damage, its epigenetic effect is hypomethylation.

Effects of As2O3 on DNA methylation, genomic instability, and LTR retrotransposon polymorphism in Zea mays.

Arsenic is a well-known toxic substance on the living organisms. However, limited efforts have been made to study its DNA methylation, genomic instability, and long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon polymorphism causing properties in different crops. In the present study, effects of As2O3 (arsenic trioxide) on LTR retrotransposon polymorphism and DNA methylation as well as DNA damage in Zea mays seedlings were investigated. The results showed that all of arsenic doses caused a decreasing genomic template stability (GTS) and an increasing Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) profile changes (DNA damage). In addition, increasing DNA methylation and LTR retrotransposon polymorphism characterized a model to explain the epigenetically changes in the gene expression were also found. The results of this experiment have clearly shown that arsenic has epigenetic effect as well as its genotoxic effect. Especially, the increasing of polymorphism of some LTR retrotransposon under arsenic stress may be a part of the defense system against the stress.