TUNEL Assay to Assess Extent of DNA Fragmentation and Programmed Cell Death in Root Cells under Various Stress
Amit K Tripathi1, Ashwani Pareek2, Sneh Lata Singla-Pareek1
1Plant Stress Biology, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India.
Abstract:
DNA damage is one of the common consequences of exposure to various stress conditions. Different methods have been developed to accurately assess DNA damage and fragmentation in cells and tissues exposed to different stress agents. However, owing to the presence of firm cellulosic cell wall and phenolics, plant cells and tissues are not easily amenable to be subjected to these assays. Here, we describe an optimized TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling) assay-based protocol to determine the extent of DNA fragmentation and programmed cell death in plant root cells subjected to various stress conditions. The method described here has the advantages of simplicity, reliability and reproducibility.
