What is the most impoant lesion produced in chromosomal DNA by exposure to ionizing radiation?
In intact DNA, single strand breaks (SSBs) are of little biologic consequence because they are repaired readily using the opposite strand as a template. If the repair is incorrect (misrepair), it may result in a mutation. If both strands of the DNA are broken and the breaks are well separated, repair again occurs readily, because the two breaks are handled separately.By contrast, if the breaks in the two strands are opposite one another or separated by only a few base pairs, this may lead to a double-strand break (DSB); that is, the piece of chromatin snaps into two pieces. Double-strand breaks are the most impoant lesions produced in chromosomes by radiation.Reference: Eric J Hall Textbook of Radiobiology for Radiologist; 5th edition
A break on one DNA strand ('single-strand break')
Well-separated breaks on both DNA strands
Breaks on both DNA strands which are opposite each other or separated by only a few bases ('double-strand break')
Multiple breaks on the same DNA strand
Radiotherapy