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

In study this, the level of DNA damage in three populations of endemic Beysehir frog (Pelophylax caralitanus) inhabiting on Lakes of Karamik, Eber and Beysehir 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 (Karamik Lake, Idc=0.08 +/- 0.001). The obtained data demonstrated t that the endemic Beysehir frog could serve as a useful flag species in an indicator of anthropogenic impact on ecosystems.