MUTAGENS

Karun. A
2nd MSc Botany
SNC KOLLAM
MUTAGENS

• Agents used for induction of mutations are known as mutagens.

• Mutagens may be different kinds of radiations (physical mutagens) or
certain chemicals (chemical mutagens) .
PHYSICAL MUTAGENS
1. Ionising radiations
Ionising radiation is a form of energy that acts by removing electrons
from atoms and molecules.
• Particulate radiations
Made up of subatomic particles such as protons, neutrons and high
speed electrons capable of causing ionization.
e.g: alpha rays, beta rays, fast and thermal neutrons
• Non particulate radiations
Radiations consisting of waves of energy associated with electric and
magnetic fields resulting from the acceleration of an electric charge.
e.g : X-rays, gamma rays
2. Non ionising radiations

Electromagnetic radiations that does not carry enough energy per

quantum to ionize atoms or molecules , i.e : to completely remove an
electron from an atom or molecule.
e.g : Ultraviolet radiations
1. Beta rays
• High energy electrons produced by decay of radioactive isotopes
• Beta rays transfer their energy to electrons of atoms causing it to fly
away from its orbit – ionization
• If electron is pushed to a outer orbit – excitation
• Less penetrative compared to x rays
2. Alpha rays
• Alpha particles are made of 2 protons and 2 neutrons, thus they have
double positive charge.
• Have strong attraction for electrons and pulls them away from the nuclei
• Less penetrative compared to neutrons and beta rays.
• When energy is lost , captures 2 electrons to produce Helium.
3. Fast and Thermal Neutrons
• Fast neutrons are produced in cyclotrons or atomic reactors
• Velocity of fast neutrons are reduced by graphite or heavy water to
produce thermal neutrons.
• High penetrative power
• Ionisation are produced when-
Nuclei of atoms are kicked away by the neutron
Production of gamma rays when neutrons are captured by nuclei
4. X-rays and Gamma rays
• Non particulate electromagnetic radiations.
• High energy radiations consisting of photons .
• X-rays are produced by x-ray tubes
and gamma rays are produced by radioactive decay of radium, Co 60 ..
• Highly penetrative and sparsely ionising.
• Mutations are induced by
1. Photoelectric effect (Photons Energy completely absorbed by e-)
2. Compton scattering ( part of energy absorbed by e-)
3. Pair production (Energy Absorbed by nucleus and e- ejected)
5 . Ultraviolet Radiations
• UV radiations have a wavelength of 1000 - 3900 Å
• Present in solar radiations and produced by mercury vapour lamps.
• Does not cause Ionization and is less penetrative 1-2 layers
• Produce dimers of thymine, uracil, and cytosine
• Also adds molecules of water to Uracil and cytosine causes
deamination.
• Used in microorganisms and irradiation of pollen grains and small
eggs.
CHEMICAL MUTAGENS
• Chemical mutagens refer to the group of naturally occurring and
synthetic chemicals, which cause mutations.

1. Alkylating Agents

• Compounds that reacts with e- rich atoms in biological molecules to form covalent bond.
• Reacts directly or form reactive intermediates.
• Mutagenicity is related to ability of alkylating agents to form cross links or transfer an alkyl
group to different positions of DNA.
• Most frequent location of adduct in the DNA is at guanines.
• Mutations occurs due to transitions and transversions
• E.g : Methyl methane sulphonate, sulphur mustards, Ethylene imines.
2. Acridine Dyes
• Cause frameshift mutations of both addition and deletion types.
• Causes biological effects like inhibition of DNA repair, curing of plasmids,
cell growth inhibition.
• E.g : Acridine orange, acridine yellow, proflavine

3. Base Analogues
• Molecules that can substitute for normal bases in nucleic acids.
• Substitution of base analogues will result in altered base pairing and
structural changes that affect DNA replication and transcription of genes.
• E.g : 5 bromouracil, 5 chlorouracil

4. Others
E.g : Nitrous acid, hydroxyl amine, sodium azide
Recurrent Irradiation

• In recurrent irradiation several successive generations are subjected to

irradiation treatment.
• A random sample of seed from each M1 plant may be used
• The dose of mutagen used for recurrent irradiation is generally lower than that
used for single treatment.
• It is expected that recurrent irradiation would accumulate mutation in
population.
• Generally workers have used single treatments in preference to recurrent
irradiation
Split dose Irradiation

• Instead of a single dose of Irradiation, the dose is split into two or

more small doses and are applied after a planned rest interval.
• Lethal effect produced by split doses were less than that produced by
single exposures.
• Some premutational damage induced by certain rays can be repaired
during the interval period or some physiological modifications might
be brought by the first irradiation to reduce mutagenic effects of
second exposures.
COMBINATION TREATMENT

• Mutants can be generated by physical and chemical mutagens.

• Combined use of physical and chemical mutagens in order to produce
a mutant is called combination treatment.
• Eg: combination treatment using 137 CS gamma rays and Ethyl
methane sulphonate.
• Used to study plant gametogenesis.
Application of mutation
breeding
1) Induction of desirable mutant allele which may not be present in the
germplasm or that may be present but may not be available to the breeder
due to political or geographical reasons.
2) It is useful in improving specific characteristics of a well adapted high
yielding variety.
3) Mutagenesis has been successfully used to improve various quantitative
characters like yield.
4) F1hybrids from intervarietal crosses may be treated with mutagens in order to
increase genetic variability by inducing mutations and to facilitate
recombination of linked genes.
5) Irradiation of inter specific hybrids has been done to produce translocations.
Limitations of Mutation
Breeding
1. The frequency of desirable mutation is very low, about 0.1 percent
of total mutations.
2. The breeder has to screen large populations to select desirable
mutations.
3. Desirable mutations are commonly associated with undesirable side
effects due to other mutations, chromosomal aberrations etc.
4. Most of the mutations are recessive.
5. Mutations produce pleiotropic effects.
 Achievements
1. More than 3000 varieties have been produced as a result of mutagenesis programme
in different countries of the world.
2. Mutant varieties have been developed in cereals,oil seeds, pulses, millets, vegetables,
fruits, trees etc.
3. The first variety developed from mutagenesis Programme was Primax White Mustard
in 1950.
4. A number of crop varieties has been developed crop e.g: NP 836 wheat, Indore 2
cotton, Jagannath rice.
5. Jagannath rice has improved resistance to lodging, higher yield and is more responsive
to fertilizers.
6. Prabhavati rice is an induced mutant from a tall Scented variety ( Ambemohar local)
treated by 0.2 % EMS.It is semi dwarf, nonlodging and is responsive to fertilizer and
nitrogen application.
Reference
• B. D Singh, Plant breeding Principles and Methods
• sciencedirect.com
• ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
THANK
YOU