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DNA Damage Quantitation by Alkaline Gel Electrophoresis

  • Protocol
Book cover DNA Repair Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology™ ((MIMB,volume 314))

Abstract

Quantifying DNA lesions provides a powerful way to assess the level of endogenous damage or the damage level induced by radiation, chemical or other agents, as well as the ability of cells to repair such damages. Quantitative gel electrophoresis of experimental DNAs along with DNA length standards, imaging the resulting dispersed DNA and calculating the population average length allows accurate measurement of lesion frequencies. Number average length analysis provides high sensitivity and does not require any specific distribution of lesions within the DNA molecules. These methods are readily applicable to strand breaks and ultraviolet radiation induced pyrimidine dimers, but can also be used—with appropriate modifications—for ionizing radiationinduced lesions such as oxidized bases and abasic sites.

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Acknowledgments

Research supported by grants from the Low Dose Program of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research of the U. S. Department of Energy, the U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Biological and Physical Research, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, and the National Institutes of Health (CA86897) to B. M. S., and from the National Institutes of Health (EB002121) to J. C. S.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY

    Betsy M. Sutherland, Paula V. Bennett & John C. Sutherland

  2. Department of Physics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

    John C. Sutherland

Authors
  1. Betsy M. Sutherland
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  2. Paula V. Bennett
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  3. John C. Sutherland
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacological Sciences, SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY

    Daryl S. Henderson

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© 2006 Humana Press Inc.

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Sutherland, B.M., Bennett, P.V., Sutherland, J.C. (2006). DNA Damage Quantitation by Alkaline Gel Electrophoresis. In: Henderson, D.S. (eds) DNA Repair Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 314. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-973-7:251

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-973-7:251

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-513-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-973-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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