Dimethylated arsenics induce DNA strand breaks in lung via the production of active oxygen in mice

In order to study the genotoxicity of arsenics, we focused our attention on dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) which was a main metabolite of inorganic arsenics in mammals. ICR mice were orally administered DMAA-Na (1500mg/kg). DNA single-strand breaks occurred specifically in lung at 12h after administration. An in vitro experiment indicated that the breaks were not caused directly by DMAA but by dimethylarsine, a further metabolite of DMAA. Furthermore, the dimethylarsine-induced breaks were diminished by the addition of SOD and catalase, suggesting that active oxygen produced by dimethylarsine was involved in the induction of DNA damage.     

Induction of DNA damage by dimethylarsine, a metabolite of inorganic arsenics, is for the major part likely due to its peroxyl radical

To reveal the mechanisms of previously reported lung-specific DNA strand scissions in murine after oral administration of dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), a main metabolite of inorganic arsenics in mammals, the ultimate substance causing DNA lesion was investigated using dimethylarsine which was a further metabolite of DMAA. The alkaline elution assay using 3H-labeled DNA showed that a major portion of the strand breaks was not suppressed by SOD and catalase, suggesting an ultimate substance other than active oxygen participated in the DNA damage. By ESR analysis, a radical estimated to be (CH3)2AsOO. was detected as a reaction product of dimethylarsine and molecular oxygen. This peroxyl radical, rather than active oxygen, was assumed to play a major role in DNA damage.     

Inhalation of ozone induces DNA strand breaks and inflammation in mice

Ozone (O₃) is a well-known oxidant pollutant present in photochemical smog. Although ozone is suspected to be a respiratory carcinogen it is not regulated as a carcinogen in most countries.The genotoxic and inflammatory effects of ozone were investigated in female mice exposed to ozone for 90 min. The tail moment in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from BALB/c mice was determined by the comet assay as a measure of DNA strand breaks. Within the first 200 min after exposure, the BAL cells from the mice exposed to 1 or 2 ppm ozone had 1.6- and 2.6-fold greater tail moments than unexposed mice. After 200 min there was no effect. It could be ruled out that the effect during the first 200 min was due to major infiltration of lymphocytes or neutrophils. Unexpectedly, ozone had no effect on the content of 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) in nuclear DNA or on oxidised amino acids in the lung tissue. The mRNA level of the repair enzyme ERCC1 was not increased in the lung tissue. Inflammation was measured by the cytokine mRNA level in lung homogenates. An up to 150-fold induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA was detected in the animals exposed to 2 ppm ozone compared to the air-exposed control mice. Also at 1 ppm ozone, the IL-6 mRNA was induced. The large induction of IL-6 mRNA in the lung took place after DNA strand breaks were induced in BAL. This does not support the notion that inflammatory reactions are the cause of DNA damage. To determine whether these exposures were mutagenic, Muta™Mice were exposed to 2 ppm ozone, 90 min per day for 5 days. No treatment-related mutations could be detected in the cII transgene.These results indicate that a short episode of ozone exposure at five times the threshold limit value (TLV) in US induces lung inflammatory mediators and DNA damage in the cells in the lumen of the lung. This was not reflected by an induction of mutations in the lung of Muta™Mice.     

Enhanced stimulation of chromosomal translocations by radiomimetic DNA damaging agents and camptothecin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae rad9 checkpoint mutants

Several chemical mutagens and carcinogens, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrated PAHs, are adsorbed to the surface of diesel exhaust particles (DEP). DEP can induce formation of reactive oxygen species and cause oxidative DNA damage as well as bulky carcinogen DNA adducts. Lung tissue is a target organ for DEP induced cancer following inhalation. Recent studies have provided evidence that the lung is also a target organ for DNA damage and cancer after oral exposure to other complex mixtures of PAHs. The genotoxic effect of oral administration of DEP was investigated, in terms of markers of DNA damage, mutations and repair, in the lung of Big Blue^® rats fed a diet with 0, 0.2, 0.8, 2, 8, 20 or 80 mg DEP/kg feed for 21 days. There was no significant increase in the mutation frequency in the cII gene. However, an increase of DNA damage measured as DNA strand breaks (comet assay) and bulky DNA adducts (³²P post labeling) was observed. The level of DNA strand breaks increased significantly at all dose levels while the level of DNA adducts increased significantly only at the intermediate dose levels. Similarly, the number of oxidized DNA bases measured as endonuclease III and fapyguanine glycosylase (FPG) sensitive sites increased at the intermediate dose levels. The induction of DNA damage by DEP exposure did not increase the expression of the repair genes OGG1 and ERCC1 at the mRNA level. The present study indicates that the lung is a target organ for primary DNA damage following oral exposure to DEP. DNA damage was induced following exposure to relatively low levels of DEP, but under the conditions used in the present experiment DNA damage did not result in an increased mutation rate.     

Rapid repair of hepatic DNA damage induced by camptothecin in the intact rat

Administration of camptothecin (7,14 or 28 mg per 100 g body wt.) to rats intraperitoneally, induced single strand breaks in hepatic DNA. Fragmentation of liver DNA on alkaline sucrose gradients was noted within 5 minutes and reached a maximum by 30 to 60 minutes after the administration of the drug. By about 4 hours, the DNA damage was almost completely repaired. However, using neutral sucrose gradients, significant fragmentation of DNA could not be seen. The rapid repair of the liver DNA in vivo induced by camptothecin, a cancer chemotherapeutic agent, is interesting in view of the long delay in the repair of the DNA damage induced by several chemical carcinogens in an intact animal (9,10).     

Role of the Alkali Labile Sites,Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidants in DNA Damage Induced by Methylated Trivalent Metabolites of Inorganic Arsenic

In the last decade arsenic metabolism has become an important matter of discussion. Methylation of inorganic arsenic (iAs) to monomethylarsonic acid (MMA^V) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA^V) is considered to decrease arsenic toxicity. However, in addition to these pentavalent metabolites, the trivalent metabolites monomethylarsonous (MMA^III) and dimethylarsinous acid (DMA^III) have been identified recently as intermediates in the metabolic pathway of arsenic in cultured human cells. To examine the role of oxidative damage in the generation of DNA strand breaks by methylated trivalent arsenic metabolites, we treated human lymphocytes with both metabolites at non-cytotoxic concentrations. We further tested whether these effects are sensitive to modulation by the antioxidants ascorbate (Vitamin C) and selenomethionine (Se-Met). Both trivalent metabolites produced oxidative stress related DNA damage, consisting of single strand breaks and alkali-labile sites, with MMA^III being more potent at low concentrations than DMA^III. Neither MMA^III nor DMA^III induced DNA-double strand breaks. The oxidative stress response profiles of the metabolites were parallel as determined by lipid peroxidation induction. MMA^III induced peroxidation from the lowest concentration tested, while effects of DMA^III were apparent only at concentrations above 10 μM. The antioxidant Se-Met exhibited a more pronounced inhibition of trivalent arsenic metabolite-induced oxidative-DNA damage than did vitamin C. The present findings suggest that DNA damage by methylated trivalent metabolites at non-cytotoxic concentrations may be mediated by a mix of reactive oxygen and nitrogen oxidized species.     

Radiation protection of DNA by ferulic acid under in vitro and in vivo conditions

The effect of ferulic acid was studied on γ-radiation-induced relaxation of plasmid pBR322 DNA and induction of DNA strand breaks in peripheral blood leukocytes and bone marrow cells of mice exposed to whole body γ-radiation. Presence of 0.5 mM ferulic acid significantly inhibited the disappearance of supercoiled (ccc) plasmid pBR322 with a dose modifying factor (DMF) of 2.0. Intraperitoneal administration of different amounts (50, 75 and 100 mg/kg body weight) of ferulic acid 1 h prior to 4 Gy γ-radiation exposure showed dose-dependent decrease in the yield of DNA strands breaks in murine peripheral blood leukocytes and bone marrow cells as evidenced from comet assay. The dose-dependent protection was more pronounced in bone marrow cells than in the blood leukocytes. It was observed that there was a time-dependent disappearance of radiation induced strand breaks in blood leukocytes (as evidenced from comet parameters) following whole body radiation exposure commensuration with DNA repair. Administration of 50 mg/kg body weight of ferulic acid after whole body irradiation of mice resulted disappearance of DNA strand breaks at a faster rate compared to irradiated controls, suggesting enhanced DNA repair in ferulic acid treated animals. (Mol Cell Biochem xxx: 209–217, 2005)     

Acute hypoxia and hypoxic exercise induce DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage in humans.

The present study investigated the effect of a single bout of exhaustive exercise on the generation of DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage under normal conditions and at high-altitude hypoxia (4559 meters for 3 days). Twelve healthy subjects performed a maximal bicycle exercise test; lymphocytes were isolated for analysis of DNA strand breaks and oxidatively altered nucleotides, detected by endonuclease III and formamidipyridine glycosylase (FPG) enzymes. Urine was collected for 24 h periods for analysis of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage. Urinary excretion of 8-oxodG increased during the first day in altitude hypoxia, and there were more endonuclease III-sensitive sites on day 3 at high altitude. The subjects had more DNA strand breaks in altitude hypoxia than at sea level. The level of DNA strand breaks further increased immediately after exercise in altitude hypoxia. Exercise-induced generation of DNA strand breaks was not seen at sea level. In both environments, the level of FPG and endonuclease III-sensitive sites remained unchanged immediately after exercise. DNA strand breaks and oxidative DNA damage are probably produced by reactive oxygen species, generated by leakage of the mitochondrial respiration or during a hypoxia-induced inflammation. Furthermore, the presence of DNA strand breaks may play an important role in maintaining hypoxia-induced inflammation processes. Hypoxia seems to deplete the antioxidant system of its capacity to withstand oxidative stress produced by exhaustive exercise.     

Dimethylarsine likely acts as a mouse-pulmonary tumor initiator via the production of dimethylarsine radical and/or its peroxy radical

AimsRecent animal experiments have indicated that dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), a main metabolite of inorganic arsenic, is a complete carcinogen in the lung of mice and the urinary bladder of rats, nevertheless, no ultimate-active metabolite from DMA has been identified thus far. We have proposed that dimethylarsine ((CH₃)₂AsH), an ultimate reductive metabolite of DMA, is excreted in the expired air of mice administered DMA, and furthermore, was easily converted into dimethylarsine radical ((CH₃)₂As?) and dimethylarsine peroxy radical ((CH₃)₂AsOO?) by its reaction with O₂. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the possible mode of the tumorigenic action by dimethylated arsenic.Main methodsIn vitro experiments using GSH reductase as a two-electron donor of dimethylarsenic-glutathione conjugate ((CH₃)₂As-SG) and DNA adduct assay via a photochemical approach were performed. A lung tumorigenicity assay of (CH₃)₂AsH suspended in argon-atmospheric olive oil for 5 days was also conducted in mice.Key findingsThe results indicated that (CH₃)₂AsH was easily produced enzymatically from (CH₃)₂As-SG and showed tumor-initiating action in mouse lung via the production of (CH₃)₂As? and (CH₃)₂AsOO? by its reaction with O₂, and that these radicals have the ability to form DNA adducts.SignificanceThe carcinogenicity of DMA, at least in mouse lung, could be explained based on the proposal that oral administration of DMA induces pulmonary tumors in mice, and arises from the arsine radicals produced through (CH₃)₂AsH, which was enzymatically reduced from (CH₃)₂As-SG.     

Radiation-induced DNA base damage detected in individual aerobic and hypoxic cells with endonuclease III and formamidopyrimidine-glycosylase.

X-ray-induced DNA base damage can be detected using endonuclease III and formamidopyrimidine-glycosylase, which create DNA strand breaks at enzyme-sensitive sites. Strand breaks can then be measured with excellent sensitivity using the alkaline comet assay, a single-cell gel electrophoresis method that detects DNA damage in individual cells. In using this approach to measure the oxygen enhancement ratio (OER) for radiation-induced base damage, we observed that the number of enzyme-sensitive sites increased with dose up to 4 Gy in air and 12 Gy in hypoxic WIL2NS cells. After rejoining of radiation-induced strand breaks, base damage was detected more easily after higher doses. The number of radiation-induced enzyme-sensitive sites was similar under both air and nitrogen. Base damage produced by hydrogen peroxide and 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4NQO) was also measured. Results with hydrogen peroxide (20 min at 4 degrees C) were similar to those observed for X rays, indicating that enzyme-sensitive sites could be detected most efficiently when few direct strand breaks were present. Removing DNA-associated proteins before irradiation did not affect the ability to detect base damage. Base damage produced by 4NQO (30 min at 37 degrees C) was readily apparent after treatment with low concentrations of the drug when few 4NQO-induced strand breaks were present, but the detection sensitivity decreased rapidly as direct strand breaks increased after treatment with higher concentrations. We conclude that: (1) the OER for base damage is approximately 1.0, and (2) the presence of direct DNA strand breaks (>2000-4000 per cell) prevents accurate detection of base damage measured as enzyme-sensitive sites with the alkaline comet method.     

Protection of cellular DNA from γ-radiation-induced damages and enhancement in DNA repair by troxerutin

The effect of troxerutin on γ-radiation-induced DNA strand breaks in different tissues of mice in vivo and formations of the micronuclei were studied in human peripheral blood lymphocytes ex vivo and mice blood reticulocytes in vivo. Treatments with 1 mM troxerutin significantly inhibited the micronuclei induction in the human lymphocytes. Troxerutin protected the human peripheral blood leucocytes from radiation-induced DNA strand breaks in a concentration dependent manner under ex vivo condition of irradiation (2 Gy). Intraperitoneal administration of troxerutin (175 mg/kg body weight) to mice before and after whole body radiation exposure inhibited micronuclei formation in blood reticulocytes significantly. The administration of different doses (75, 125 and 175 mg/kg body weight) of troxerutin 1 h prior to 4 Gy γ-radiation exposure showed dose-dependent decrease in the yield of DNA strand breaks in murine blood leucocytes and bone marrow cells. The dose-dependent protection was more pronounced in bone marrow cells than in blood leucocytes. Administration of 175 mg/kg body weight of the drug (i.p.) 1 h prior or immediately after whole body irradiation of mice showed that the decrease in strand breaks depended on the post-irradiation interval at which the analysis was done. The observed time-dependent decrease in the DNA strand breaks could be attributed to enhanced DNA repair in troxerutin administered animals. Thus in addition to anti-erythrocytic, anti-thrombic, fibrinolytic and oedema-protective rheological activity, troxerutin offers protection against γ-radiation-induced micronuclei formation and DNA strand breaks and enhances repair of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks. (Mol Cell Biochem xxx: 57–68, 2005)     

Estrogens protect against hydrogen peroxide and arachidonic acid induced DNA damage

The ability of estrogens to protect against DNA damage induced by either hydrogen peroxide or arachidonic acid alone or in combination with Cu²⁺ was investigated. DNA strand breaks were determined by conversion of double stranded supercoiled ØX-174 RFI DNA to double stranded open circular DNA and linear single stranded DNA. Estradiol-17β significantly decreased the formation of single and double strand breaks in DNA induced by H₂O₂ alone or with Cu²⁺. Equilin (an equine estrogen) was more effective than estradiol-17β at the doses tested. Arachidonic acid in the presence of Cu²⁺ caused the formation of high levels of linear DNA which was protected by estrogen with equilen being more effective. These studies suggest that estrogens through this protective effect on DNA damage might contribute to cardioprotection.     

Inflammatory and genotoxic effects of diesel particles in vitro and in vivo

Recent studies have identified an indirect genotoxicity pathway involving inflammation as one of the mechanisms underlying the carcinogenic effects of air pollution/diesel exhaust particles (DEP). We investigated the short-term effects of DEP on markers of inflammation and genotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. DEP induced an increase in the mRNA level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a higher level of DNA strand breaks in the human lung epithelial cell line A549 in vitro. For the in vivo study, mice were exposed by inhalation to 20 or 80 mg/m3 DEP either as a single 90-min exposure or as four repeated 90-min exposures (5 or 20 mg/m3) and the effects in broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) cells and/or lung tissue were characterized. Inhalation of DEP induced a dose-dependent inflammatory response with infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils and elevated gene expression of IL-6 in the lungs of mice. The inflammatory response was accompanied by DNA strand breaks in BAL cells and oxidative DNA damage and increased levels of bulky DNA adducts in lung tissue, the latter indicative of direct genotoxicity. The effect of a large single dose of DEP was more pronounced and sustained on IL-6 expression and oxidative DNA damage in the lung tissue than the effect of the same dose administered over four days, whereas the reverse pattern was seen in BAL cells. Our results suggest that the effects of DEP depend on the rate of delivery of the particle dose. The mutation frequency (MF), after DEP exposure, was determined using the transgenic Muta Mouse and a similar exposure regimen. No increase was observed in MF in lung tissue 28-days after exposure. In conclusion, short-term exposure to DEP resulted in DNA strand breaks in BAL cells, oxidative DNA damage and DNA adducts in lungs; and suggested that DNA damage in part is a consequence of inflammatory processes. The response was not associated with increased MF, indicating that the host defence mechanisms were sufficient to counteract the adverse effects of inflammation. Thus, there may be thresholds for the inflammation-associated genotoxic effects of DEP inhalation.     

Different effects of genistein and resveratrol on oxidative DNA damage in vitro

Previous studies have demonstrated that phenolic compounds, including genistein (4′,5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone) and resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxystilbene), are able to protect against carcinogenesis in animal models. This study was undertaken to examine the ability of genistein and resveratrol to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated strand breaks in φX-174 plasmid DNA. H₂O₂/Cu(II) and hydroquinone/Cu(II) were used to cause oxidative DNA strand breaks in the plasmid DNA. We demonstrated that the presence of genistein at micromolar concentrations resulted in a marked inhibition of DNA strand breaks induced by either H₂O₂/Cu(II) or hydroquinone/Cu(II). Genistein neither affected the Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycle nor reacted with H₂O₂ suggest that genistein may directly scavenge the ROS that participate in the induction of DNA strand breaks. In contrast to the inhibitory effects of genistein, the presence of resveratrol at similar concentrations led to increased DNA strand breaks induced by H₂O₂/Cu(II). Further studies showed that in the presence of Cu(II), resveratrol, but not genistein was able to cause DNA strand breaks. Moreover, both Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycle and H₂O₂ were shown to be critically involved in resveratrol/copper-mediated DNA strand breaks. The above results indicate that despite their similar in vivo anticarcinogenic effects, genistein and resveratrol appear to exert different effects on oxidative DNA damage in vitro.     

DNA Strand Breaks in Mitotic Germ Cells of Caenorhabditis elegans Evaluated by Comet Assay

DNA damage responses are important for the maintenance of genome stability and the survival of organisms. Such responses are activated in the presence of DNA damage and lead to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and DNA repair. In Caenorhabditis elegans, double-strand breaks induced by DNA damaging agents have been detected indirectly by antibodies against DSB recognizing proteins. In this study we used a comet assay to detect DNA strand breaks and to measure the elimination of DNA strand breaks in mitotic germline nuclei of C. elegans. We found that C. elegans brc-1 mutants were more sensitive to ionizing radiation and camptothecin than the N2 wild-type strain and repaired DNA strand breaks less efficiently than N2. This study is the first demonstration of direct measurement of DNA strand breaks in mitotic germline nuclei of C. elegans. This newly developed assay can be applied to detect DNA strand breaks in different C. elegans mutants that are sensitive to DNA damaging agents.     

Seminal plasma reduces exogenous oxidative damage to human sperm, determined by the measurement of DNA strand breaks and lipid peroxidation

Exposure of spermatozoa to reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been associated with cellular injury, that includes DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. In addition, sperm preparation techniques such as centrifugation, commonly used prior to in vitro fertilization and scientific studies, are associated with the generation of ROS and an increase in the level of DNA damage. The preservation, therefore, of sperm in vitro that might decrease the potential for oxidative DNA damage to arise and allow for an improvement in semen quality used for artificial insemination, is of importance. Seminal plasma is a rich source of antioxidants, which, potentially, safeguards sperm from oxidative attack during storage and once ejaculated. We have investigated the protection of human spermatozoa from ROS afforded by seminal plasma. Sperm were exposed to exogenous ROS by incubating the cells with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of ferrous sulfate and ADP. Aliquots of seminal plasma were added to the incubation mixture in differing amounts, and the generation of DNA strand breaks and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), indicative of lipid peroxidation, determined. Incubation of sperm with exogenous ROS resulted in a significant generation of DNA strand breaks and lipid peroxidation compared to basal levels of damage (P<0.05). Addition of seminal plasma to the incubation media produced a significant decrease in DNA strand breaks and TBARS (P<0. 05), when the amount of plasma added exceeded 60% v/v. The results indicate that spermatozoal oxidative damage induced by exogenous ROS, specifically DNA damage and lipid peroxidation, is reduced by the presence of seminal plasma.     

黄芪总黄酮对DNA损伤防护作用的研究

用DNA解旋荧光检测法(FADU)研究了黄芪总黄酮(TFA)对γ射线和H₂O₂所致V79细胞DNA链断裂的防护作用. 结果表明TFA对这两种损伤因子所致的DNA损伤均有不同程度的防护作用, 当TFA浓度达到0.4g/L和0.6g/L时, 分别对H₂O₂和γ射线所致的损伤有保护作用(P<0.05), 而浓度增至0.8g/L和1.2g/L时, 分别对两种因素所致的DNA链断裂损伤有非常显著的防护效果(P<0.01), 对H₂O₂的防护效果优于对γ射线.     

Comparative in vitro and in vivo assessment of genotoxic effects of etoposide and chlorothalonil by the comet assay.

The alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay was used to assess in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of etoposide, a topoisomerase II inhibitor known to induce DNA strand breaks, and chlorothalonil, a fungicide widely used in agriculture. For in vivo studies, rats were sacrificed at various times after treatment and the induction of DNA strand breaks was assessed in whole blood, bone marrow, thymus, liver, kidney cortex and in the distal part of the intestine. One hour after injection, etoposide induced DNA damage in all organs studied except kidney, especially in bone marrow, thymus (presence of HDC) and whole blood. As observed during in vitro comet assay on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, dose- and time-dependent DNA effects occurred in vivo with a complete disappearance of damage 24 h after administration. Even though apoptotic cells were detected in vitro 48 h after cell exposure to etoposide, such a result was not found in vivo. After chlorothalonil treatment, no DNA strand breaks were observed in rat organs whereas a clear dose-related DNA damage was observed in vitro. The discrepancy between in vivo and in vitro models could be explained by metabolic and mechanistic reasons. Our results show that the in vivo comet assay is able to detect the target organs of etoposide and suggest that chlorothalonil is devoid of appreciable in vivo genotoxic activity under the protocol used.     

A Structure‐Activity Relationship between the Veratrum Alkaloids on the Antihypertension and DNA Damage Activity in Mice

Veratrum plant contains a family of compounds called steroidal alkaloids which have been previously reported to cause DNA damage and blood pressure decrease in vivo. In this study, the antihypertensive effects and DNA damage in brain cells of 12 steroidal alkaloids separated from Veratrum plant were all evaluated to develop a relationship among chemical structure, antihypertensive activity and neurotoxicity by utilization of chemical principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Twelve steroidal alkaloids markedly reduced high blood pressure of hypertensive mice and also similarly induced varying degrees of DNA single‐strand breaks in mouse cerebellum and cerebral cortex after oral administration. On the basis of the PCA and HCA results, it was suggested that the 3‐carboxylic esters and benzene group play a core role in the DNA damage of brain cells, while more hydroxy groups in the A‐ring and B‐ring structure of jervine‐type alkaloid led to stronger antihypertensive activity. The primary structure, activity and neurotoxicity relationship were discussed briefly.     

Time Scale for Rejoining of Bacteriophage λ Deoxyribonucleic Acid Molecules in Superinfected pol+ and polA1 Strains of Escherichia coli After Exposure to 4 MeV Electrons

The time scale for rejoining of radiation-induced deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) single-strand breaks was measured in the presence and absence of oxygen. The involvement of DNA polymerase I in this repair process was studied. Formation and rejoining of DNA strand breaks were measured in lambda DNA infecting lysogenic pol(+) and polA1 strains of Escherichia coli irradiated by 4 MeV electrons under identical conditions. Irradiation and transfer to alkaline detergent could be completed in less than 180 ms. The initial yields of DNA strand breaks were identical in pol(+) and polA1 host cells and four- to fivefold higher in the presence of oxygen than in nitrogen anoxia. Evidence for the existence of a very fast repair process, independent of DNA polymerase I, was not found, since no rejoining of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks was observed during incubation from 45 ms to 3 s. In pol(+) host cells most of the strand breaks produced in the presence of oxygen were rejoined within the first 30 to 40 s of incubation, whereas no rejoining could be detected within the same period of time in anoxic cells. Since no rejoining of broken lambda DNA molecules was observed in polA1 host cells, it is concluded that the synthetase activity of DNA polymerase I is involved in the rejoining of DNA breaks induced by radiation in the presence of oxygen.