Assessing Genotoxicity and Mutagenicity of Three Common Amphibian Species Inhabiting Agroecosystem Environment

Author(s)

Goncalves, Macks Wendhell ^{[1, 2]} ; Marins de Campos, Calebe Bertolino ^{[1, 2]} ; Godoy, Fernanda Ribeiro ^[2] ; Gambale, Priscilla Guedes ^[3] ; Nunes, Hugo Freire ^[1] ; Nomura, Fausto ^{[4, 5]} ; Bastos, Rogerio Pereira ^{[3, 4, 5]} ; da Cruz, Aparecido Divino ^[2] ; de Melo e Silva, Daniela ^{[4, 1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Goias, Inst Ciencias Biol 1, Dept Genet, Lab Mutagenese, Programa Posgrad Genet & Biol Mol, Campus 2, BR-74001970 Goiania, Go - Brazil

^[2] Pontificia Univ Catolica Goias, Dept Biol, Nucleo Pesquisas Replicon, Goiania, Go - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Maringa, Programa Posgrad Ecol Ambientes Aquat Continentai, Maringa, Parana - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Goias, Programa Posgrad Biodiversidade Anim, Goiania, Go - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Goias, Inst Ciencias Biol, Programa Posgrad Ecol & Evolucao, Goiania, Go - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; v. 77, n. 3, p. 409-420, OCT 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Amphibians are constantly exposed to pollutants and the stress of agricultural activities. We selected three anuran amphibian species Dendropsophus minutus, Boana albopunctata, and Physalaemus cuvieri, totaling 309 individuals. We collected tadpoles in 15 permanent ponds: 5 soybean crops, 3 corn crops, and 7 nonagricultural lands. Our study provides the first comparative data on the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of three common amphibian anurans. Dendropsophus minutus was the most vulnerable species compared with B. albopunctata and P. cuvieri for comet assay and micronuclei test. However, the more significant amount of DNA damage seen in D. minutus does not mean that their populations are threatened once such species adapt well to anthropogenic disturbances. Despite, P. cuvieri was less sensitive than the other two species; the DNA damage was significantly higher in soybean crops. Physalaemus cuvieri is a leptodactylidae species that deposit their eggs in foam nests, which are essential to protect eggs from dehydration. Moreover, the foam reduces the contact of eggs with water; thus, P. cuvieri eggs could be less exposed to contaminants present in pounds, compared with D. minutus and B. albopunctata, which deposit their eggs directly in the water. Therefore, this study was sufficiently sensitive to detect genotoxic and mutagenic effects in tadpoles exposed to agroecosystems. We strongly suggest D. minutus in future biomonitoring studies that involve the comparison of anthropized versus not anthropized environments. Overall, we recommend the comet assay and micronucleus test as effective methods for the detection of genotoxic damage in amphibian anurans to the environmental disturbance, especially in agricultural sites. {[}GRAPHICS] . (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/52321-7 - Diversity and ecology of tadpoles from Central Amazonia
• Grantee: Denise de Cerqueira Rossa-Feres
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants