Investigation of repair of single-stranded DNA breaks in Vicia faba cells

The method of electrophoresis of single-stranded DNA in agaroso-polyacrylamide gel Was used to study repair of DNA breaks in root meristem cells of Vicia faba. There was an increase, as compared to normal, in the electrophoretic mobility of DNA as observed immediately after irradiation in a dosage of 100 kR. Postradiation incubation (2h) of irradiated seedlings decreased the electrophoretic mobility of DNA down to control which was indicative of repair of DNA breaks. Postradiation treatment of seedlings with caffeine (1x10-3 M) partly arrested repair of DNA breaks. So it might be inferred that repair processes observed in plant cells were the same as in animal cells