Aquatic DNA Chronicles: Extraction to Geno-Toxicity and Comet Assays

Abstract

Aquatic habitats are filled with different types of species and all of them are vulnerable to pollution through pollutants hence in the recent past, heavy metal pollutants have been dangerous to aquatic lives. This study concentrates on isolating pure DNA from fish tissues and identification of genotoxicity by conducting the comet assay and PCR test based on the p53 gene. Since fish is a critical link in aquatic ecosystems it acts as a biomarker for the environment. In this study, fin and gill tissues were chosen for DNA extraction, and the optimized protocol provided high-purity DNA for further analysis. The comet testing revealed that the fish exposed to environmental toxins had greater quantities of DNA damage, notably illustrated by the longer comet tails. The current study further sought to confirm the specificity of established p53 gene primers for PCR and their potential use in genotoxic analyses.

Further, statistical analyses were employed to verify the credibility and the importance of the findings. Thus, this work illustrates how DNA extraction, comet assays, and PCR analysis should be integrated to evaluate the effects of pollutants on water inhabitants. The study emphasizes the necessity of imposing strict environmental laws and regulating pollution in water to save water life. Further investigations should extend these methodologies to fish species and other contaminants to gain more insights into the problem and effects of environmental genotoxicity.