Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Detection and repair of single-strand breaks in nuclear DNA

Abstract

DIRECTLY or indirectly phosphodiester bonds in DNA are broken when living cells are irradiated by ionising radiations or ultraviolet light. There are various sophisticated techniques for monitoring radiation damage1–6. We describe here how radiation damage in DNA and its repair can be detected simply in the white cells of human blood. The method is very sensitive and should prove useful in screening populations for abnormal repair mechanisms. As there is also great interest in methods for detecting environmental agents that damage DNA2,7, we have applied the method to detect the damage caused by mitomycin C.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kao, F. T., and Puck, T. T., J. cell. comp. Physiol., 74, 245–258 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Perry, P., and Evans, H. J., Nature, 258, 121–125 (1975).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. McGrath, R. A., and Williams, R. W., Nature, 212, 534–535 (1966).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Fornace, A. J., Kohn, K. W., and Kann, H. E., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 73, 39–43 (1976).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cleaver, J. E., Adv. radiat. Biol., 4, 1–75 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Grossman, L., Adv. radiat. Biol., 4, 77–129 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. McCann, J., and Ames, B. N., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 73, 950–954 (1976).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cook, P. R., and Brazell, I. A., J. Cell Sci., 19, 261–279 (1975).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cook, P. R., and Brazell, I. A., J. Cell Sci. (in the press).

  10. Cook, P. R., Brazell, I. A., and Jost, E., J. Cell Sci. (in the press).

  11. Bauer, W., and Vinograd, J., Prog. molec. subcell. Biol., 2, 181–215 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Denhardt, D. T., and Kato, A. C., J. molec. Biol., 77, 479–494 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Szybalski, W., and Iyer, V. N., in Antibiotics, 1 (edit. by Gottlieb, D., and Shaw, P. D.), 211–245 (Springer, Berlin, 1967).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  14. Strauss, B. S., in Chemical Mutagens, Principles and Methods for their Detection, (edit. by Hollaender, A.), 145–174 (Plenum, New York, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Stich, H. F., in Molecular Mechanisms for Repair of DNA, Part B (edit. by Hanawalt, P. C, and Setlow, R. B.), 773–784 (Plenum, New York, 1975).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  16. Jacob, F., and Wollman, E. L., Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 88, 724–749 (1955).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Thorsby, E., and Bratlie, A., in Histocompatibility Testing (edit. by Terasaki, P. I.), 655 (Munksgaard, Copenhagen, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Latarjet, R., Morenne, P., and Berger, R., Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 85, 174–184 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

COOK, P., BRAZELL, I. Detection and repair of single-strand breaks in nuclear DNA. Nature 263, 679–682 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/263679a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/263679a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing