Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Radiation-induced damage in T4 bacteriophage: the effect of superoxid radicals and molecular oxygen. Progress report, December 1, 1977--November 30, 1978. [. gamma. -irradiated in phosphate buffer suspensions]

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6510195· OSTI ID:6510195
The sensitivity of T4 bacteriophage towards ..gamma.. irradiation has been studied in phosphate buffer suspensions. The spectrum of the water radicals was controlled by a careful choice of the appropriate saturating gas and the addition of radical scavengers. Thus, it was possible to distinguish between the effects of molecular oxygen and the superoxide radicals formed through its reactions. About 90 percent of the damage was caused by the water radicals formed in the bulk suspensions. These probably affected the phage proteins; only the remainder of the damage involved the viral DNA. The oxygen enhancement ratio observed was not connected in any way with the formation of the superoxide radicals. The results confirmed that the OH radicals are the reactive species, while e/sup -//sub aq/ as well as the superoxide radical do not contribute to the radiodamage.
Research Organization:
Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem (Israel)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
6510195
Report Number(s):
COO-3221-54
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English