Monday, April 30, 2018

Radioactive Legacy: Transgenerational Transmission of Radiation-Induced Genetic Mutations


Recently Anders Moller, a very well respected and cited evolutionary biologist, was interviewed by Sputnik about the lasting legacy of the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters. Here is an excerpt from that interview with relevant citations added of published research in this arena:
‘Negative effects of Chernobyl and Fukushima are striking’ – Professor. (2018, April 27). Sputnik, https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201804271063960881-chernobyl-fukushima-nuclear-effects/
Sputnik: What can you say about the degree of mutations and how long does this usually last for post this kind of catastrophe?
•Anders Moller: Levels of mutations in Chernobyl and the neighborhood are so great that it exceeds anything else recorded in the literature, so it is really significant. What's characteristic of mutations is that they typically damage sperm cells and eggs and thereby affect newborns and even kill embryos, and these mutations, if they are affecting sperm or eggs, can be transmitted from one generation to the next. Natal effects as seen now can also appear in the next generation and in the following generations, so there is no end of these events.

 Research supporting this assertion include the following:
Laila Omar-Nazir, Xiaopei Shi, Anders Moller, Timothy Mousseau, Soohyun Byun, Samuel Hancock, Colin Seymour, Carmel Mothersill, (2018) Long-term effects of ionizing radiation after the Chernobyl accident: Possible contribution of historic dose. Environmental Research,165, 55-62, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.04.005. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935118301853)

Abstract: The impact of the Chernobyl NPP accident on the environment is documented to be greater than expected, with higher mutation rates than expected at the current, chronic low dose rate. 
In this paper we suggest that the historic acute exposure and resulting non-targeted effects (NTE) such as delayed mutations and genomic instability could account at least in part for currently measured mutation rates and provide an initial test of this concept. 

Data from Møller and Mousseau on the phenotypic mutation rates of Chernobyl birds 9–11 generations post the Chernobyl accident were used and the reconstructed dose response for mutations was compared with delayed reproductive death dose responses (as a measure of genomic instability) in cell cultures exposed to a similar range of doses. 

The dose to birds present during the Chernobyl NPP accident was reconstructed through the external pathway due to Cs-137 with an estimate of the uncertainty associated with such reconstruction. The percentage of Chernobyl birds several generations after the accident without mutations followed the general shape of the clonogenic survival percentage of the progeny of irradiated cells, and it plateaued at low doses. This is the expected result if NTE of radiation are involved. 

We suggest therefore, that NTE induced by the historic dose may play a role in generating mutations in progeny many generations following the initial disaster.

Keywords: Chernobyl birds; Low dose effects of radiation; Non-targeted effects; Radiation-induced genomic instability; Radiation induced lethal mutations


ADDITIONAL STUDIES


A. Moller & T. Mousseau (2013) ‘The Effects of Natural Variation in Background Radioactivity on Humans, Animals and Other Organisms’, Biological Reviews, 88.1, 226-254, p. 249.

A. Moller and T. Mousseau (2006) ‘Biological Consequences of Chernobyl: 20 Years After the Disaster’, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 21, 200-2007.

A. Moller, I. Nishiumi, H. Suzuki, K. Ueda, and T. Mousseau (2013) ‘Differences in Effects of Radiation of Animals in Fukushima and Chernobyl’, Ecological Indicators, 24, 75-81, p. 80. 


RELATED POSTS

Majia's Blog: Chromosome 16: Linked to Human Evolution, Autism ...

burdening the species with genetic mutations: we are ...  


Majia's Blog: Mutations: Germ Line Mosaicism

Majia's Blog: Ionizing Radiation and Germ Cell Damage: Link to ...

Majia's Blog: Mutations: Germ Line Mosaicism

Majia's Blog: Living in a Radiation Contaminated Zone 
 

8 comments:

  1. Most americans seem to be too stupid, brainwashed, indifferent or all three to grasp even the smallest bit of this. Major heads up their asses. When they have kids with problems they are so fking stupid as to wonder why

    ReplyDelete
  2. The teratogenic, gentoxic, mutagenic potential, of even some of the weaker radiation emitting radionuclides, is a billion times more potent than comperable genotoxic , teratogenic, mutagenic chemicals like agent orange.

    ReplyDelete
  3. All of murica is plagued by radioactive nuclear and radioactive medical waste. 1000 bombs exploded above ground. Many more underground. 100 shitty old leaky reactors that constantly belch tritium dioxide into the atmosphere. Depleted uranium munitions set off on military bases. Nuclear waste in municipal dumps like st lewis, that is on fire. 170 millionn murican drink water that is heavily contaminated with radium. The colorado river and its drainage is heavily contaminated with alpha emiiters from old uranium mines and mills in utah, wyoming, colorado, and new mexico. All the thorium from welding rods, radium in water and.gasoline from fracking, americium in landfills from smoke.detectors. the plutonium from plants in oklahoma, washington, new mexico, tennesse, s carolina, livermore california, colorado, taxas. The shallow grave hi level and low level nuclear waste all over murica. The large amount of hi level waste at every reactor including those shut like san onofre. The outrage and insanity goes on and on. Americans are truly stupid bastards

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have t laugh Majia, when I see a story about living in a radioactive zone, that does not include america as being a radioactive zone. Sounds like more brain washing and propaganda bullshit to me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Speaking of depleted uranium: former Ethics Chief of George w Bush, to run as Democrat,in Al Frankens vacated seat



    Richard Painter, a former ethics chief during former President George W. Bush's administration who has become a high-profile critic of President Trump, formally announced Monday that he would be running for a Minnesota Senate seat as a Democrat.

    How can murica call itself a democracy, with fascist trumpturds and.hillturds like this running the country?

    ReplyDelete
  6. "In all charity it must be said that the poor millennials represent possibly the most dumbed-down generation of human beings in the history of the world. It is certainly not their fault, mind you, but that doesn’t alter the tragic reality of what they are. After a hundred years of Modernism in the Church and Secularism in the State, the dismal spiritual, moral and intellectual condition of the millennials offers the most stinging indictment of modernity imaginable.

    “Progress” along the path to utopia has left a whole generation of young people unsure of which bathroom to use.

    Well played, Enlighted Ones!" --Michael Matt (The Remnant)

    In addition to radiation we have food being dangerously tinkered with; toxic pesticides and herbicides. Prescription drugs that create additional unhealthy conditions. And bad water!

    On the bright side of things we are probably in a position now where the planet can be protected from being hit by a comet fragment as happened around 12,800 years ago and then again around 11,600 years ago; and maybe since then by some other space rocks. These impacts are enormously destructive. One good impact by the right sized space rock (and surprisingly small) traveling at 80,000 mph and all life on this earth is over!

    At least we can eat and drink with care. Avoid vaccinations and prescription drugs. Spend some time in natural settings. Beyond that it seems to me that most of us are impotent. Certainly Congress pays but little attention to the citizens. And no matter who is president the Shadow Government can put up big barriers to any desirable changes. But it is not hopeless--it just looks that way. Who knows what will benefit humanity? Some article in an obscure magazine might change the world dramatically. The butterfly effect.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good articles from sputnik, majia. Yours was very good. Russia is very nuclear. Sputnik posted these great articles about nuclear. The only thing comparable in america are alternate news like counterpunch, antinuke, and environmental journals. We know how google treats them.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.