Evaluation of DNA damage by Comet Assay in populations of endemic Beyşehir frog Pelophylax caralitanus (Arıkan,1988)

Abstract

In study this, the level of DNA damage in three populations of endemic Beyşehir frog (Pelophylax caralitanus) inhabiting on Lakes of Karamık, Eber and Beyşehir with different anthropogenic pollution was assessed by using the DNA Comet Assay technique. Frog erythrocytes cells were used for the analysis. Seven adult individuals were collected from each biotope containing minimum 100 cells were analysed. While the results showing a significant increase in the DNA comet index in the contaminated zone [(Eber Lake= Idc=0.22±0.015), (p<0.05)], the majority of the cells did not contain any DNA damage in the clean zone (Karamık Lake, Idc=0.08±0.001). The obtained data demonstrated t that the endemic Beyşehir frog could serve as a useful flag species in an indicator of anthropogenic impact on ecosystems.