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How can ionizing radiation induce DNA double-strand breaks?

Ionizing radiation refers to high-energy radiation that has enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, resulting in the formation of ions. This type of radiation includes X-rays, gamma rays, and high-energy particles such as alpha and beta particles. When ionizing radiation interacts with biological tissues, it can cause various types of damage, including DNA double-strand breaks.

1. Direct DNA damage

Ionizing radiation can directly interact with DNA molecules, causing breaks in the DNA double helix. This occurs when the high-energy radiation directly hits the DNA molecule, transferring its energy to the atoms within the DNA. This energy transfer can lead to the breaking of chemical bonds within the DNA backbone, resulting in the formation of double-strand breaks.

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2. Indirect DNA damage

Ionizing radiation can also cause DNA double-strand breaks indirectly through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). When ionizing radiation interacts with water molecules in the cells, it can ionize the water molecules, leading to the formation of highly reactive ROS such as hydroxyl radicals. These ROS can diffuse within the cell and react with DNA, causing double-strand breaks.

3. Repair mechanisms

Cells have evolved various mechanisms to repair DNA double-strand breaks induced by ionizing radiation. One of the main repair pathways is called non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), which involves the direct rejoining of the broken DNA ends. Another repair pathway is homologous recombination (HR), which uses an undamaged DNA molecule as a template to repair the broken DNA strands.

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However, if the DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation is severe and overwhelms the repair capacity of the cell, it can lead to permanent DNA damage and potentially contribute to the development of various diseases, including cancer.

Keywords: radiation, ionizing, double, breaks, strand, energy, repair, damage, formation