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Title: Study of the radiation effects on nucleic acids and related compounds. Progress report, August 15, 1976--November 14, 1977

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5227378· OSTI ID:5227378

The effects of ionizing radiation on nucleic acids and components were studied in vitro. Our approach involves four levels of operation and progress is being made at each stage. First, procedures were established to separate and purify three reactive radiation products from thymidine. Second, improved methods of synthesizing trans-glycols of pyrimidines were developed, and a new method for the stereospecific synthesis of cis-glycol of pyrimidines was realized. Thirdly, the Ames Salmonella test was used to determine the mutagenicity of the radiation products and the reactive ones from thymine and thymidine were found to be highly mutagenic. Therefore, all radiation products should be considered potential human health hazards and should be screened when they can be purified and synthesized. In the fourth stage, the reaction of each nucleic-acid base with Cu/sup + +/ and cis-5,6-dihydro-6-hydroperoxy-5-hydroxythymine (6-TOOH) was studied in order to further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of radiation mutagenesis. The presence of Cu/sup + +/ was shown to be necessary for the effective mutagenic activity of 6-TOOH in the H. influenzae transformation assay. These findings provide fundamental information about the possible health hazards of ionizing radiation and will be useful in designing methods to protect against and repair radiation damage, which may be mutagenic and carcinogenic.

Research Organization:
Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, Md. (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-S-02-3286
OSTI ID:
5227378
Report Number(s):
COO-3286-17; TRN: 78-004438
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English