Ca. Reitsma-wijker et al., Mutagenic effect by phenylalanine during gamma-irradiation of plasmid DNA in aqueous solution under oxic conditions, MUT RES-F M, 454(1-2), 2000, pp. 71-76
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Molecular Biology & Genetics
Journal title
MUTATION RESEARCH-FUNDAMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF MUTAGENESIS
Irradiation of DNA in aqueous solution or in cells with gamma -rays results
in different mutational spectra, indicating that in both situations differ
ent patterns of DNA damages are induced. One of the causes for these differ
ent types of damages might be the formation of secondary, organic radicals,
if cells are irradiated. Some organic compounds, including the amino acid
phenylalanine, are well known to produce radicals during irradiation. Under
oxic conditions these secondary radicals react with oxygen, thus forming p
eroxyl radicals which can be very harmful to DNA, and which may, therefore,
induce DNA damage leading to mutations. This study examines the influence
of the presence of phenylalanine during gamma -irradiation of DNA in aqueou
s solution under oxic conditions. The results indicate that the formation o
f phenylalanine radicals influences the types of induced mutations in the g
amma -radiation-induced mutation spectrum. The most prominent difference is
the increase in G:C to T:A transversions and the decrease in G:C to A:T tr
ansitions in the presence of phenylalanine. Further, it appears that the ga
mma -radiation-induced mutation spectrum after irradiation of DNA in aqueou
s solution is more comparable to the intracellular gamma -radiation-induced
mutation spectrum in E. coli cells, if phenylalanine is present during irr
adiation. Therefore, these results suggest that the presence of phenylalani
ne during irradiation of DNA in aqueous solution gives a better impression
of gamma -radiation-induced mutations in bacterial systems than water only.
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