Desiccation protects two Antarctic mosses from ultraviolet-B induced DNA damage
Johanna D. Turnbull A , Simon J. Leslie A and Sharon A. Robinson A BA Institute for Conservation Biology, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: sharonr@uow.edu.au
Functional Plant Biology 36(3) 214-221 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP08286
Submitted: 5 November 2008 Accepted: 16 January 2009 Published: 2 March 2009
Abstract
Antarctic mosses live in a frozen desert, and are characterised by the ability to survive desiccation. They can tolerate multiple desiccation-rehydration events over the summer growing season. As a result of recent ozone depletion, such mosses may also be exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation while desiccated. The ultraviolet-B susceptibility of Antarctic moss species was examined in a laboratory experiment that tested whether desiccated or hydrated mosses accumulated more DNA damage under enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation. Accumulation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and pyrimidine (6–4) pyrimidone dimers was measured in moss samples collected from the field and then exposed to ultraviolet-B radiation in either a desiccated or hydrated state. Two cosmopolitan species, Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid. and Bryum pseudotriquetrum (Hedw.) Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb, were protected from DNA damage when desiccated, with accumulation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers reduced by at least 60% relative to hydrated moss. The endemic Schistidium antarctici (Cardot) L.I. Savicz & Smirnova accumulated more DNA damage than the other species and desiccation was not protective in this species. The cosmopolitan species remarkable ability to tolerate high ultraviolet-B exposure, especially in the desiccated state, suggests they may be better able to tolerate continued elevated ultraviolet-B radiation than the endemic species.
Additional keywords: Bryum pseudotriquetrum, Ceratodon purpureus, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, Grimmia antarctici, Schistidium antarctici, UV-B, (6-4) photoproducts.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by grant funding, permits and logistic support from the Australian Antarctic Division. We would like to thank Jane Wasley for field assistance in Antarctica; Professor Osumu Nikaido for kindly providing the TDM-2 and 64M-2 monoclonal antibodies used in this study and Kevin Newsham, Laurence Clarke, Nicole Grant and Osumu Nikaido for suggesting improvements to the manuscript.
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