Damages of DNA in tritiated water

Yuji Hatano*, Hiroaki Nakamura, Susumu Fujiwara, Seiki Saito, Takahiro Kenmotsu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tritium is a radioisotope of hydrogen emitting low energy β-rays in disintegration to 3He. DNA molecules are damaged mainly by β-ray irradiation, and additional damages can be induced by break of chemical bond by nuclear transmutation to inert 3He. Deep knowledges of the mechanisms underlying DNA damages lead to better understanding of biological effects of tritium. This chapter reviews recent experimental and computer simulation activities on quantitative evaluation of damage rates by β-ray irradiation and nuclear transmutation. The rate of DNA double-strand breaks in tritiated water has been examined using a single molecule observation method. The effects of β-ray irradiation were not noticeable at the level of tritium concentration of ∼ kBq/cm3, while the irradiation effects were clear at tritium concentrations of ∼ MBq/cm3. The factors affecting on the DSB rate are discussed. A new image processing method for the automatic measurement of DNA length using OpenCV and deep learning is also introduced. The effects of tritium transmutation on hydrogen bonds acting between the two main strands of DNA have been examined using molecular dynamics simulations. The study showed that the collapsing of DNA structure by the transmutation can be quantitatively evaluated using the root mean square deviation of atomic positions.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDNA Damage and Double Strand Breaks - Part A
EditorsFuyuhiko Tamanoi, Kenichi Yoshikawa
PublisherAcademic Press
Pages131-152
Number of pages22
ISBN (Print)9780323993975
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022/01

Publication series

NameEnzymes
Volume51
ISSN (Print)1874-6047

Keywords

  • DNA
  • Deep learning
  • Double-strand break
  • Helium-3
  • Irradiation
  • Molecular dynamics
  • Nuclear transmutation
  • OpenCV
  • Tritium
  • β-Ray

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

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