Vibrational energy relaxation: proposed pathway of fast local chromatin denaturation.
The molecular mechanism responsible for the alpha component of exchange-type chromosome aberrations, of chromosome fragmentation and of reproductive cell death is one of the unsolved issues of radiation biology. Under review is whether vibrational energy relaxation in the constitutive biopolymers of chromatin, induced by inelastic energy deposition events and mediated via highly excited vibrational states, may provide a pathway of fast local chromatin denaturation, thereby producing the severe DNA lesion able to interact chemically with other, non-damaged chromatin.
University of Goettingen, Germany. dietrich.harder@ngi.de
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D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004247:DNA / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004249:DNA Damage; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014732:Vibration
D002843:Chromatin; D004247:DNA