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U.S. Department of Energy
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Genetic analysis of children of atomic bomb survivors

Journal Article · · Environmental Health Perspectives
; ;  [1]
  1. Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima (Japan); and others

Studies are under way for the detection of potential genetic effects of atomic bomb radiation at the DNA level in the children of survivors. In a pilot study, we have examined six minisatellites and five microsatellites in DNA derived from 100 families including 124 children. We detected a total of 28 mutations in three minisatellite loci. The mean mutation rates per locus per gamete in the six minisatellite loci were 1.5% for 65 exposed gametes for which mean parental gonadal dose was 1.9 Sv and 2.0% for 183 unexposed gamates. We detected four mutations in two tetranucleotide repeat sequences but no mutations in three trinucleotide repeat sequences. The mean mutation rate per locus per gamete was 0% for the exposed gametes and 0.5% for the unexposed gametes in the five microsatellite loci. No significant differences in the mutation rates between the exposed and the unexposed gametes were detected in these repetitive sequences. Additional loci are being analyzed to increase the power of our study to observe a significant difference in the mutation rates at the 0.05 level of significance. 54 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
569217
Report Number(s):
CONF-950879--
Journal Information:
Environmental Health Perspectives, Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal Issue: Suppl.3 Vol. 104; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPAZ
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English