Double strand-breaks and DNA-to-protein cross-links induced by fast neutrons in bacteriophage DNA.
Coliphage T7 was suspended in tryptone broth and exposed to a mixture of fast neutrons and gamma radiation. Plaque survival, double strand-breaks and DNA-to-protein cross-linkage were examined and the results compared with those found in phage exposed to gamma radiation alone. Neutral sucrose density sedimentation patterns indicate that neutron-induced double strand-breaks sometimes occur in clusters of more than 100 in the same phage and that the effeciency with which double strand-breaks form is about 50 times that of gamma-induced double strand-breaks. Neutron-induced protein-to-DNA cross-links probably also occur in clusters with enhanced efficiency relative to low LET radiation.
D003090:Coliphages / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003377:Countercurrent Distribution; D004247:DNA / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004735:Energy Transfer; D005214:Fast Neutrons; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008954:Models, Biological; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000528:radiation effects; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000528:radiation effects
D009698:Nucleoproteins; D004247:DNA