title: Radiation mutagenesis: the initial DNA lesions responsible.
abstract: This paper is an attempt to initiate a discussion about the causes of radiation-induced mutagenesis. It considers the evidence for the involvement of singly base-damaged sites as sources of this mutagenesis. Several sets of published data are examined: These include endogenous levels of oxidized bases and their production by natural oxidative processes, and yields of mutants produced by hydrogen peroxide and by high-LET radiation. These considerations lead to the conclusion that, at the levels at which they are produced by ionizing radiation, DNA base-damaged sites are not a cause of radiation-induced mutagenesis. In analogy with previous work we invoke the involvement of multiply damaged sites (such as double-strand breaks) produced by radiation as the causative lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla 92093, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D004247:DNA