SIMILARITIES IN THE EFFECTS OF OXYGEN AND NITRIC OXIDE ON THE RATE OF INACTIVATION OF VEGETATIVE BACTERIA BY X-RAYS
The effect of oxygen and nitric oxide on the sensitivity to x rays of the bacillus Shigella sonnei was investigated. The experiments were carried out with the bacillus in aqueous suspension and under conditions favorable for the precise control of the amount of dissolved gases present during irradiation. It was found that in regard to effect on radiosensitivity in this system, nitric oxide was equivalent to oxygen, molecule for molecule. The solubility of nitric oxide is aboui 50% greater than that of oxygen, so that a lower partial pressure in the gas phase was needed. It was found that 1.6 mu M of either gas sufficed to double the radiosensitivity and that the concentration of oxygen required did not depend on temperature between 2 and 30 C. Nitric oxide also increased the radiosensitivity of haploid yeast and was not toxic to either organism at temperatures below 15 C. The properties of the gas are summarized. The hypothesis that the gases act by reacting with a carbon radical formed by the radiation at some point in a molecule that is essential to the cell for successful multiplication is discussed. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of California, Berkeley
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-023979
- OSTI ID:
- 4158103
- Journal Information:
- Radiation Research, Journal Name: Radiation Research Vol. Vol: 13
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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