Although pesticides are essential agrochemicals to annihilate harmful organisms in agriculture, their uncontrolled use has become an important threat to environmental health. Exposure to pesticides can affect many biological systems including immune system, endocrine system, and nervous system. However, the potential side effects of pesticides to skeletal muscle system remain unclear. Present study has focused on the evaluation of this issue by using an acaricide, yoksorrun-5EC (hexythiazox), in an aquatic model organism, Danio rerio. The histological analyses revealed that increased concentrations of the acaricide cause degradation of skeletal muscle along with increased necrosis and atrophy in myocytes, intercellular edema, and increased infiltrations between perimysium sheaths of muscle fibers. The effects of acaricide on myoglobin and periostin, which are associated with oxygen transport and muscle regeneration, respectively, were investigated at the gene and protein levels. RT-PCR results suggested that high concentration yoksorrun-5EC (hexythiazox) can induce myoglobin and periostin genes. Similar results were also obtained in the protein levels of these genes by western blotting analysis. These results suggested that yoksorrun-5EC (hexythiazox)-dependent disruption of skeletal muscle architecture is closely associated with the expression levels of myoglobin and periostin genes in Danio rerio model.

In this study, the purpose was to investigate the histopathological, genotoxic effect, oxidative stress and cell death due to Metronidazole (MTZ), which is a 5-nitroimidazole compound, used widely for the treatment of anaerobic organism infections in fish and humans on gill and liver tissues of Oncorhynchus mykiss. Trout fishes were exposed to 5, 10, and 20 mg/L of MTZ in the aquariums for 2, 4 and 8 days. Staining technics namely H&E, NOS immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL were performed to determine histopathological changes, oxidative damage and apoptosis. Additionally, smear preparations were also prepared from gill blood for genotoxic evaluations. The organ damage started in the 2(nd) day with 5 mg/L MTZ application and effects increased per duration and dose-dependent manner. It was observed that the gills had the primary and secondary lamellae lengths, with formation of clavate lamellae, fusion in secondary lamellae, separation of epithelium and aneurysm. Regional necrosis, vacuolization of hepatocytes, pycnotic nucleus, enlarged sinusoids were also determined in the liver. NOS immunoreactivity increased with the inducible immunoreactivity (iNOS) that was more prominent when compared to the endothelial immunoreactivity (eNOS). Apoptotic immunoreactivity was higher in the 10 mg 8(th) day experimental group at liver and gills, and was lower 20 mg 8(th) day experimental group. When the gills and liver compared with each other, in all doses, immunoreactivity was lower in gills, compared with liver. Genotoxic examinations showed that both number of micro nucleated erythrocytes and nuclei abnormalities were higher in MTZ-treated groups.

In this study, the cytogenetic effects of boric acid and citric acid in meiosis were investigated. Chorthippus loratus species of grasshoppers were treated with boric acid and citric acid sprayed grass at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 µg/ml for 24 hours. As a result of the investigations, it was observed that boric acid decreases chiasma frequency in doses of 500 and 1000 µg/ml. Differences between 250-500 and 250-1000 µg/ml doses were statistically significant. In the citric acid treated group, it was found that the frequency of chiasma decreased at doses of 500 and 1000 µg/ml. The differences were also significant between 250-500, 250-1000 and 500-1000 µg/ml doses. In our study, the effects of boric acid and citric acid on chiasma frequency as well as damages like the stickiness of chromosomes, breakage, fragment and anaphase bridge were observed.

Objective: Although the high magnetic field is commonly accepted as harmless for biological tissues, there is no consensus about its biological effects. This study aims to investigate probable genetic damages of magnetic field on biological tissues using a simple and widely accepted method, Allium test. Materials and Methods: The same sized healthy Allium cepa (onion) plants were exposed to 0.5 Tesla magnetic field for 0, 8, 24 and 72 hours as groups of four. Allium test was applied and at least 4.000 cells were counted for each group. Observed chromosomal aberrations were analyzed and photographed. Results: Magnetic field application adversely affected the mitotic activity in the experiment group compared to the control. The chromosomal aberrations increased in proportion to increased magnetic field exposure times. The most encountered aberrations were C-metaphase, stickiness, lagging chromosome, anaphase bridge, micronucleus, irregular anaphase, and polar deviation. The group comparisons showed statistically significant differences between the control group and 8, 24 and 72 hour magnetic field exposure groups. Conclusion: This study has shown potential genotoxic and mutagenic effects of high magnetic field on Allium cepa root tip cells using Allium test. Although there is a need for more studies, the data in the study show that the strong magnetic field leads to chromosomal disorders.

Nowadays, one of the most important problems is environmental pollution. Environmental pollution in the Büyük Menderes River-basin, which is one of the agricultural fields in Turkey, has reached important dimensions. B. Menderes River which waters B. Menderes River-basin and fields around it is contaminated by various sources.In this study the genotoxicity of the soil samples taken from three different regions in two different months (September 2006 and March 2007) in the Aydın region of B. Menderes River-basin was researched with the Allium test.The soil samples were taken from the lands watered by the B. Menderes River and Çine Stream; the fields near the B. Menderes Bridge (on the Muğla main road), the Çine Stream, and the Koçarlı Bridge in September and March. 25%, 50%, 100% concentrations were prepared diluting these samples and onions (Allium cepa L.) were rooted. At the end of the studies, the decrease in the mitotic index was found to be statistically important according to the control in all the doses except 25% of the Çine doses in September and March. The study soil samples taken from the three different regions in two different months caused structural chromosomal aberrations such as anaphase bridge, fragment, stickiness, and polar deviation in the Allium cepa L. root tip cells. It has been emphasized that the difference in all the doses except for 25% Menderes, 25% Koçarlı, 50% doses in September and 25% Çine, 25% Menderes, 25%, 25% Koçarlı, Koçarlı, 50% doses in March are important according to the control in the total chromosomal aberrations.

In this study, the karyotype of the Acrida ungarica species (chromosome number, chromosome morphology and chrosome lengths) belonging to the Acridinae subfamily of the Acridiae family was examined. As a result of these examinations, the species number of chromosomes was determined to be 2n male=23 (XO). It was found that all autosomal chrosomes as well as the X chrosome had an acrocentric structure. As a result of counting carried out on five individuals, the mean chiasma frequency was found to be 16.39.

In this study, the genotoxic and histopathological effects of olive-mill wastewater (OMW) on the tissue cells of Lepomis gibbosus were investigated. The fish were caught from Topçam dam lake (Çine/Aydın) and were exposed to the wastewater in 50-L aquariums which contained 0.5 % OMW for 3–5 and 7 days. In genotoxic investigations, a statistically significant increase was observed in the frequency of micronuclei in the L. gibbosus in experimental groups. As a result of the exposure to OMW, histopathological findings which showed a parallel increase with the amount of exposure in the gill, liver and muscle tissues were determined. In the gills, disruption of lamellae shape, shortening and breakage of primary and secondary lamellae, fusion and branching, separation in the secondary lamellae epithelium, ballooning dilation, hyperplasia in support cells and increase in mucus cells were observed. In the parenchyma of the liver, a difference in local staining, focal necrosis, haemorrhaging in necrotic areas, oedema of blood vessels, expansion in sinusoids, congestion and dilation in portal veins, deterioration of vessel walls, cytoplasmic vacuolization in hepatocytes, pyknotic nuclei, decrease in glycogen storage in hepatocytes near the central vein and aggregates of melanomacrophages were also observed. The necrosis in muscle bundles, widespread oedema between myofibrils, degeneration and separation in some muscle groups, decrease in glycogen content, intramuscular oedema and atrophy in the myofibers were determined in the experimental groups.

Ozet. Calismamizda, DDVP’nin A. cepa ’da kok uzunlugu, kok sayisi, mitoz bolunme ve kromozomlar uzerine olan etkileri arastirilmistir. DDVP’nin 2ml/L, 4ml/L, 6 ml/L dozlari 12, 24 ve 48 saat olmak uzere uc farkli sure ile A. cepa bitkisinin koklerine uygulanmistir. Uygulama sonucu her sogandaki kokler sayilmis ve kok uzunluklari olculmustur. Yapilan degerlendirmeler sonucu kontrol gruplarina gore uygulama gruplarinin kok sayisinin sureye bagli olarak azalma gosterdigi gorulmustur. Uygulama gruplarinin kok uzunluklari kontrol gruplari ile karsilastirildiklarinda uzunlugun genellikle doz ve sureye bagli olarak azalma gosterdigi belirlenmistir. Mikroskobik gozlemler sonucu elde edilen veriler tablolara aktarilmis ve SPSS 12.0 programinda yapilan istatistiksel analizler ile sonuclar degerlendirilmistir. Elde edilen verilere gore DDVP’nin A.cepa bitkisinin koklerinde mitotik indeksi azalttigi saptanmistir. Mitotik indeksin azalmasi sure artisina bagli bir paralellik gosterirken, doz artisina bagli bir paralellik gostermemektedir. Insektisitin A.cepa bitkisinin koklerine uygulanmasi sonucu kromozomlarda hasarlar meydana gelmistir. En fazla gozlenen kromozom hasarlari yapiskanlik, yanlis kutuplasma ve fragment olusumudur. Bundan baska anafaz koprusu ve mikronukleus olusumlari da gorulmustur. Abstract. In our study, effects of DDVP on A.cepa root length, root number, mitosis and chromosomes are determined. Different doses of DDVP (2ml/L, 4 ml/L, 6 ml/L) were applied to A. cepa r oots with three different application periods (12h, 24h, 48h). Roots of tubers were counted and root lengths were measured after applications. Our results show that root numbers of application groups are decreased correlated with application time. When root length of application groups with control group is compared, root length decrease is generally seems to be correlated with application dosage and time. The data of microscobical observations were put in tables and evaluated with statistical analysis using SPSS 12.0. DDVP is determined to have a decreasing effect on mitoticindex of A. cepa .Decrease of mitotic index is correlated within crease of application time but not cerrelated with increase in appplication dosage. Chromosme aberrations were occured in A. cepa roots, after application of insecticide. Most observed chromosome defects are stickiness, pole deviation and fragmentation. Anaphase bridges and micro nuclei are also observed.

In this study, the karyotype of the Chorthippus (Glyptobothrus) bornhalmi species (chromosome number, chromosome morphology and chromosome lengths) belonging to the Gomphocerinae subfamily of the Acrididae family was examined. As a result of these examinations, the species' number of chromosome was determined as 2n male= 17 (X0). It was found that one pair of autosomal chromosome 3 (L-1-L-3) was submetacentric whereas five pairs (M-4-S-8) and X chromosome had an acrocentric structure. As a result of the counting carried out on five individuals, the mean chiasma frequency was found to be 15.36.

In this study, which was carried out in June 2004, erythrocyte sizes of Neurergus crocatus were examined. Specimens of N. crocatus were collected from Sirnak, Turkey. Morphological characteristics of peripheral blood cells were examined. Morphology of the erythrocytes and leukocytes were described using Wright’s technique. Erythrocytes and their nuclei sizes were measured using an ocular micrometer. Mean length and width of the erythrocytes in N. crocatus were 32.6 ± 2.46 and 23.8 ± 2.49 μm, respectively (surface 610.9 μm 2 ) and mean length and width of their nuclei were 15.3 ± 1.30 and 9.6 ± 0.76 μm, respectively (surface 115.5 μm 2 ). Micronucleated nuclei were counted among 1000 randomly chosen erythrocytes from each blood smears. The micronucleated erythrocyte values were 0.001 and 0 for males and females, respectively.

The aim of the present study was to determine heavy metal accumulation in water, sediment and some tissues of Anguilla anguilla along with determining histopathological and genotoxic effects of accumulation on these tissues by using light microscopy. Water, sediment and fish tissue samples taken from different sites of 3 different study areas were studied and the order of accumulation of metals was Fe>Pb>Mn>Co>Zn>Ni> Cr>Cu>Cd in water, Fe>Co>Mn>lpb>Zn>Ni>Cr>Cu>Cd in sediment and Cd>Mn>Cu>Cr>Ni>Fe>Zn>Co>lpb, Cd>lpb>Ni>Cr>Mn>Cu>Fe>Co>Zn and Cr>Ni>Zn>Cd>lpb>Mn>Cu>Fe>Co in liver, muscle and gill of fish, respectively. In histopathological studies, a decrease in the length of primary and secondary lamellae of gills, fusion in secondary lamellae, cellular proliferation, clavate lamellae formation and necrosis were observed. In liver tissue, dilation of sinusoid, increase in the number of erythrocytes, ruptured hepatocytes, decrease in glycogen accumulation and vacuolization were observed. In muscle tissue, necrosis, cellular dissolution and loss of striatation in muscle fibers were found. It was observed that pollution of water had no genotoxic effect on Anguilla anguilla.

Concentration of heavy metals were measured in the surface water, sediments and three different organs of Cyprinus carpi from the Golmarmara lake (Manisa, Turkey). Four sampling sites located at different parts of the lake were pre-defined. The accumulation of copper, zinc, cadmium, cobalt, lead, chromium, iron, mangane in gills, liver and muscle of C. carpi were determined. Also, histopathological changes in gill, liver and muscle tissue were examined at light microscopical level. The order of accumulation of heavy metals was found to be Zn>Pb>Fe>Co>Mn>Cr>Ni>Cti>Cd in water, Zn>Cr>Pb>Fe>Co>Mn>Ni>Cu>Cd in sediment, Zn>Cr>Pb>Ni>Cu>Fe>Co>Cd in muscle and Zn>Cr>Pb>Cd>Ni>Cu>Fe>Co in liver and Zn>Cr>Ni>Pb>Cu>Cd>Co>Fe in gills. As a result of histopathological examinations, a significant decrease in mean length of primary and secondary lamellae was observed. Cellular proliferation caused secondary lamellae fusion, ballooning degenerations of secondary lamellae as well as distribution of necrotic and clavate secondary lamellae. In the liver, altered staining, swollen and ruptured parenchymal cells reduce of glycogen in hepatocytes and vacuolar structure filled with cellular debris were seen. In muscle tissue, focal necrosis, cellular dissolution and a decline or loss of striatation in muscle fibres were found. The frequency of micronucleus formation did not show significant differences in fish samples caught from the Golmarmara lake.

The karyotypes of two species in the name of Triturus vulgaris and Triturus karelinii, belonging Salamandridae family of Urodela order were analyzed. Chromosome numbers of both the Triturus species were identified as 2n=24 and chromosomes forming karyotypes clustred in three group, long, medium and short by their lengths. I, VIII and XIIth chromosome pairs in Triturus vulgaris showed metacentric morphology whereas the same chromosomes showed submetasentric morphology in Triturus karelinii. VI, VII, IX, X and XIth chromosome pairs in Triturus vulgaris were found to be submetasentric compared to metasentric morphology of same chromosome pairs in Triturus karelinii. The other chromosome pairs II, III, IV and V-th were found to have metasentric morphology in both species. According to our measurements, chromosomes of Triturus karelinii were found to be long and to have more regular line and intrakaryotypic variations between chromosomes were determined as low.

The genotoxic and histopathological effects of water pollution were investigated on two fish species caught from the Buyuk Menderes River and from its tributary, the Cine Stream. The Buyuk Menderes basin is an important agricultural area in Turkey. The levels of copper, zinc, cadmium, cobalt, and lead were measured at the surface of the water and in gills, liver, and muscle tissue of Chondrostoma nasus and Barbus capito pectoralis. In some tissues, the concentrations of some of these metals exceeded acceptable levels for human consumption. Zinc was found to be the most abundant metal in water and tissues. Maximal metal accumulation was observed in the liver. To detect the genotoxic potential of contaminants, the formation of micronucleus in erythrocytes was used as indicator of chromosomal damage. The frequency of micronucleus formation did not show significant differences between locations and controls in B. capito pectoralis caught from three locations and C. nasus from two locations. The histological changes included significant decreases of the mean lengths of primary and secondary lamellae. In gills epithelia, we observed cellular proliferation that developed Because of secondary lamellae fusion, ballooning degenerations, or club deformation of secondary lamellae and cystic structures in secondary lamellae. In the liver, the changes included swollen and ruptured parenchymal cells, loss of cord structure, vacuoles filled with cellular debris, focal necrosis, and a significant increase in Kupffer cells.

Bu calismada bir sivi gubre ve bitki buyume duzenleyicisi olan Shaffer A’nin genotoksik etkisi Vicia faba kromozomal aberasyon testi ile degerlendirildi. Shaffer A’nin mitoz bolunme ve kromozomlar uzerine etkisi 50 ml/l, 100 ml/l ve 200 ml/l lik dozlarinin 3, 6 ve 12 saat sureyle Vicia faba koklerine uygulandi. Yapilan incelemeler sonucunda, Shaffer A’nin asiri dozda ve uzun sure uygulanmasinin kontrole gore mitotik indeksi onemli derecede azalttigi belirlendi. Ayrica anafaz koprusu, parca, kalgin kromozom, yapiskanlik ve mikronukleus olusumu gibi kromozomal anormallikler gozlendi

The diploid chromosome number of males of the Field Cricket, Gryllus campestris, from Sivas was found to be 2 n = 29, with 6 pairs metacentric, 3 pairs submetacentric, 5 pairs subacrocentric autosomes, and 1 X metacentric. The X chromosome is the longest chromosome in the complement. C-banding was carried out on this species.

Chromosomes, with detalied karyotype information (number, shape, total length, relative length, arm ratio and centromeric index) and Cand G-band patterns of two species of grasshoppers belonging to the subfamily Oedipodinae in Turkey are described. The karyotype of Oedipoda schochi schochi with 2n  = 25 (X0) comprises eight pairs of metacentric, two pairs of submetacentric, one pair of acrocentric and one pair of subacrocentric autosomes, which come from 2n  = 23 through centric fission and the metacentric X chromosome, while Acrotylus insbricus with 2n  = 23 (X0) possesses metacentric autosomes, and the metacentric X chromosome.

Chromosomes and detailed karyotype information (the number, shape, relative length, arm ratio, centromeric index) of Callimenus (=Bradyporus) macrogaster macrogaster Lef. (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea, Bradyporini) of Turkey belonging to the subfamily Bradyporinae are described. The diploid number of chromosomes was found to be 2n male symbol = 23, with 2 metacentric pairs, 2 submetacentric pairs, 6 acrocentric pairs. The X chromosome is metacentric. This species has a XX female symbol / X0 male symbol sex determining mechanism. The basic karyotype is complemented by a description of C- and G-banding patterns. The C-banding pattern in spermatogonial metaphase was characterized by the presence of paracentromeric C-bands in all chromosomes, and a distal C-band in chromosome 5. The G-banding pattern was complex. The 2C nuclear DNA content was found to be 10.26 +/- 0.16 picograms by microspectrophotometry.