Nilan R A
Environ Health Perspect. 1978 Dec;27:181-96. doi: 10.1289/ehp.7827181.
Plants have too long been ignored as useful screening and monitoring systems of environmental mutagens. However, there are about a dozen reliable, some even unique, plant genetic systems that can increase the scope and effectiveness of chemical and physical mutagen screening and monitoring procedures. Some of these should be included in the Tier II tests. Moreover, plants are the only systems now in use as monitors of genetic effects caused by polluted atmosphere and water and by pesticides. There are several major advantages of the plant test systems which relate to their reproductive nature, easy culture and growth habits that should be considered in mutagen screening and monitoring. In addition to these advantages, the major plant test systems exhibit numerous genetic and chromosome changes for determining the effects of mutagens. Some of these have not yet been detected in other nonmammalian and mammalian test systems, but probably occur in the human organism. Plants have played major roles in various aspects of mutagenesis research, primarily in mutagen screening (detection and verification of mutagenic activity), mutagen monitoring, and determining mutagen effects and mechanisms of mutagen action. They have played lesser roles in quantification of mutagenic activity and understanding the nature of induced mutations.Mutagen monitoring with plants, especially in situ on land or in water, will help determine potential genetic hazards of air and water pollutants and protect the genetic purity of crop plants and the purity of the food supply. The Tradescantia stamen-hair system is used in a mobile laboratory for determining the genetic effects of industrial and automobile pollution in a number of sites in the U.S.A. The fern is employed for monitoring genetic effects of water pollution in the Eastern states. The maize pollen system and certain weeds have monitored genetic effects of pesticides. Several other systems that have considerable value and should be developed and more widely used in mutagen monitoring and screening, especially for in situ monitoring, are discussed. Emphasis is placed on pollen systems in which changes in pollen structure, chemistry, and chromosomes can be scored for monitoring; and screening systems which can record low levels of genetic effects as well as provide information on the nature of induced mutations. THE VALUE OF PLANT SYSTEMS FOR MONITORING AND SCREENING MUTAGENS CAN BE IMPROVED BY: greater knowledge of plant cell processes at the molecular and ultrastructural levels; relating these processes to mutagen effects and plant cell responses; improving current systems for increased sensitivity, ease of detecting genetic and chromosome changes, recording of data (including automation), and for extending the range of genetic and chromosome end points; and designing and developing new systems with the aid of previous and current botanical and genetic knowledge.
长期以来，植物作为环境诱变剂的有用筛选和监测系统一直被忽视。然而，有大约十二种可靠的，有些甚至是独特的植物遗传系统，它们可以扩大化学和物理诱变剂筛选及监测程序的范围并提高其有效性。其中一些应纳入二级测试。此外，植物是目前唯一用于监测由污染的大气、水以及农药所导致的遗传效应的系统。植物测试系统有几个主要优点，这些优点与其繁殖特性、易于培养和生长习性有关，在诱变剂筛选和监测中应予以考虑。除了这些优点外，主要的植物测试系统还表现出许多遗传和染色体变化，可用于确定诱变剂的作用效果。其中一些变化在其他非哺乳动物和哺乳动物测试系统中尚未被检测到，但可能在人体中发生。植物在诱变研究的各个方面都发挥了重要作用，主要是在诱变剂筛选（诱变活性的检测和验证）、诱变剂监测以及确定诱变剂的作用效果和作用机制方面。它们在诱变活性的定量和对诱导突变性质的理解方面作用较小。利用植物进行诱变剂监测，尤其是在陆地或水中的原位监测，将有助于确定空气和水污染物的潜在遗传危害，并保护农作物的遗传纯度和食品供应的纯度。紫露草雄蕊毛系统被用于一个移动实验室，以确定美国多个地点的工业和汽车污染的遗传效应。蕨类植物被用于监测美国东部各州水污染的遗传效应。玉米花粉系统和某些杂草被用于监测农药的遗传效应。本文还讨论了其他几个具有重要价值、应加以开发并更广泛应用于诱变监测和筛选，特别是原位监测的系统。重点介绍了花粉系统，在该系统中，可以对花粉结构、化学和染色体的变化进行评分以用于监测；以及筛选系统，该系统可以记录低水平的遗传效应，并提供有关诱导突变性质的信息。通过以下方式可以提高植物系统在监测和筛选诱变剂方面的价值：在分子和超微结构水平上更深入地了解植物细胞过程；将这些过程与诱变剂效应和植物细胞反应联系起来；改进现有系统以提高灵敏度、便于检测遗传和染色体变化、记录数据（包括自动化），并扩大遗传和染色体终点的范围；借助以往和当前的植物学和遗传学知识设计和开发新系统。
