The double DNA content is detected in hemocytes of snail Lymnaea stagnalis from a population with high radiation load
The research of hemocytes of laboratory cultivated pond snails Lymnaea stagnalis originating from two areas near Chernobyl with different radiation load has been carried out by means of comet assay. Significant interpopulation distinctions in parameters of DNA-comets have been revealed by means of the software analysis of hemocyte DNA-comet images: hemocytes of mollusks from radiationally unfavourable “Perstok” population have contained a twice DNA quantity in comparison with “Pripyat” population, and also have been statistically more resistant to the influence of strontium. Strontium reduces the amount of DNA in hemocytes, at that strontium dose of 0.5 MPC is already substantial (i.e., causes a negative impact) for snail Lymnaea stagnalis. According to a RAPD-analysis previously conducted, the snails of two populations are characterized by high genetic similarity, on the basis of which a hypothesis is suggested that the observed differences in the DNA content of hemocytes and resistance to strontium are inherited as prolonged adaptive modification (epigenetic change) in response to the intensive damaging impact of environment. Comet assay can be its indicator while carrying out the environmental monitoring.