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Lack of effects of atomic bomb radiation on genetic instability of tandem-repetitive elements in human germ cells

Journal Article · · American Journal of Human Genetics
OSTI ID:186197
;  [1];  [1]
  1. Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima (Japan)

In a pilot study to detect the potential effects of atomic bomb radiation on germ-line instability, we screened 64 children from 50 exposed families and 60 from 50 control families for mutations at six minisatellite loci by using Southern blot analysis with Pc-1, {lambda}TM-18, ChdTC-15, p{lambda}g3, {lambda}MS-1, and CEB-1 probes. In the exposed families, one or both parents received a radiation dose >0.01 Sv. Among the 64 children, only one child had parents who were both exposed. Thus, of a total of 128 gametes that produced the 64 children, 65 gametes were derived from exposed parents and 63 were from unexposed parents, the latter being included in a group of 183 unexposed gametes used for calculating mutation rates. The average parental gonadal dose for the 65 gametes was 1.9 Sv. We detected a total of 28 mutations at the p{lambda}g3, {lambda}MS-1, and CEB-1 loci, but no mutations at the Pc-1, {lambda}TM-18, and ChdTC-15 loci. We detected 6 mutations in 390 alleles of the 65 exposed gametes and 22 mutations in 1098 alleles of the 183 gametes from the unexposed parents. The mean mutation rate per locus per gamete in these six minisatellite loci was 1.5% in the exposed parents and 2.0% in the unexposed parents. We observed no significant difference in mutation rates in the children of the exposed and the unexposed parents (P = .37, Fisher`s exact probability test). 38 refs., 1 fig., 5 tabs.

OSTI ID:
186197
Journal Information:
American Journal of Human Genetics, Journal Name: American Journal of Human Genetics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 57; ISSN AJHGAG; ISSN 0002-9297
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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