A comparative analysis of membrane intactness and genome integrity in pea,barley, and wheat in response to UVC irradiation

The maintenance of plant genome integrity plays a critical function in the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and repair. Short-wave UV radiation (UVC) is among the most harmful agents known to affect genome stability and to induce DNA damage, including double-strand breaks (DSBs). Most previous studies in plants addressed the effects of UVC radiation at the physiological level; however, little research effort has been put into genome sensitivity across different plant species. Here, we made use of the trypan blue exclusion test and neutral comet assay to assess nuclear membrane and genome integrity in response to UVC radiation in monocot and dicot plants. We found that UVC radiation substantially affects nuclear membranes and the level of DSBs in a dose-responsive manner. Furthermore, differential sensitivity across plant species was observed, with monocot plants being less vulnerable to DSBs. This allows us to speculate that plant species with larger genomes may better tolerate UVC radiation.