Radiation-produced electron migration along 5-bromouracil-substituted DNA in cells and in solutions

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5554946

Beach, C M

Results of work by other investigators support the theory of charge migration in DNA. Charge transfer between nucleotides and electron and energy migration in solid state DNA have been detected, but no previous experiments have demonstrated charge migration in aqueous solutions of DNA or in DNA inside an E. coli cell. Such experiments were performed by substituting different amounts of 5-bromouracil (BU) for thymine in E. coli DNA and assaying for the amount of bromide given off from the reaction of bromouracil with hydrated electrons produced by ionizing radiation to form uracil-5-yl radicals and free bromide. By varying the amount of BU incorporated in the DNA, the average distance between the BU bases was varied, and because the number of BU/electron reactions was monitored by the amount of bromide released, the maximum average electron migration distance along the BU-DNA was estimated. Charge migration was demonstrated, and the maximum average electron migration distance in aqueous solutions of BU-DNA was measured to be 8 to 10 base distances (assuming only intrastrand migration). Only 11 to 16% of the electrons produced attacked BU-DNA in aqueous solution, and only 1% resulted in bromide release from BU-DNA inside E. coli. Charge migration was demonstrated in BU-DNA inside E. coli, and the maximum average migration distance was measured to be 5 to 6 base distances (assuming only intrastrand migration).

• Research Organization: Kansas Univ., Lawrence (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5554946
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400600* -- Radiation Chemistry
ANTIMETABOLITES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
AZINES
BACTERIA
BROMIDES
BROMINE COMPOUNDS
BROMOURACILS
CHEMICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHEMISTRY
DISPERSIONS
DNA
DRUGS
ELECTRON TRANSFER
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ESCHERICHIA COLI
FERMIONS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDRATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
HYDROXYL RADICALS
LEPTONS
MICROORGANISMS
MIXTURES
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC BROMINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRIMIDINES
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADICALS
RADIOINDUCTION
SOLUTIONS
SOLVATED ELECTRONS
SOLVATION
URACILS