Cancer radiotherapy study shows that DNA building blocks are sensitive to fragmentation -
A new study relevant for cancer radiotherapy shows that the blocks DNA constructs are susceptible to fragmentation
scientists now have a better understanding of how the short DNA strands decompose in microseconds. A European team has found new fragmentation pathways that are universally occur when the DNA strands are exposed to metal ions from a family of alkali and alkaline earth elements. These ions tend to replace protons in the DNA backbone and at the same time induce reactive conformation leading to fragmentation easier. These results Andreas Piekarczyk, University of Iceland, and colleagues published a study in EPJ D. They could help to optimize the treatment of cancerous tumors through improved understanding of how radiation and byproducts, reactive intermediates particles interact with complexes of DNA structures.
In cancer therapy with radiation, it is not the radiation itself that directly damage the DNA strands or oligonucleotides. But rather, it is the secondary reactive particles, leading to the creation of charged intermediates. Here, the authors studied one of these intermediaries responsible in the form of so-called metastable DNA protonated hexamers.
To make complex, the authors created selected oligonucleotide-metal-ion they have chosen to between zero and six metal ions.
They then followed the fragmentation reactions of these complexes using a technique called spectrometry time of flight mass. By comparing different species, they could deduce how the underlying work oligonucleotide fragmentation induced metal ions.
It has been found that fragmentation of the ions induced by oligonucleotide metal is universal with the ions of alkali and alkaline earth metals, e.g., lithium, Li +; potassium, K +; rubidium Rb +; magnesium, calcium and Mg 2+, Ca 2+ .. They had already reached the same conclusion for the sodium ions, which are ubiquitous in nature, in the form of sodium chloride, or salt. Once the number of sodium ions per nucleotide is sufficiently high, the study shows, it triggers a fragmentation reaction unexpected oligonucleotide.
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