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Genetic Effects of Low‐Dose Ionizing Radiation on the Chaffinch ( Fringilla coelebs ) in Chernobyl
Author(s) -
Owens Michael,
BonisoliAlquati Andrea,
Møller Anders,
Mousseau Timothy
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.709.5
Subject(s) - biology , gene , ionizing radiation , gene expression , genetics , copy number variation , gene duplication , genome , irradiation , physics , nuclear physics
The meltdown of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 resulted in numerous deleterious ecological effects on the area's wildlife. Currently, a 30‐km radius area around the disaster site (known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, CEZ) remains contaminated with low‐dose ionizing radiation at a level that is orders of magnitude higher than surrounding areas. Studies have indicated that the avian populations of the CEZ have higher incidence of partial albinism, abnormal sperm motility, and decreased brain size, among other effects. Previous investigations have probed the genetic effects of the Chernobyl disaster using gene expression microarrays. These studies (conducted using the common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs ) identified a large number of genes whose expression levels differed between contaminated and clean individuals. To investigate the cause of these abnormal expression levels, we tested for copy number variation in a number of chaffinch genes using quantitative real‐time PCR, using DNA samples from birds within and outside the CEZ. Two gene pairs were selected, along with another single gene, and copy numbers were compared to β‐actin. Each pair consisted of one gene whose expression levels were raised and one gene whose expression levels were decreased. Pairs were selected based on proposed interactions between the two genes in question, as found during a literature review. Preliminary findings suggest that the expression patters of these genes are not correlated with their copy number. This indicates that the molecular effects of the Chernobyl disaster are not mediated at the pre‐transcriptional level for these genes.