Statistical modelling of electron- and neutron-induced damage in DNA

Aim: The main objective of this work is to provide a simple statistical to describe the number of DNA molecules that are broken after irradiation at different doses. Material and Methods: We assume that the DSB damage is induced in the DNA molecules only by indirect radiation effects. In this model, SSB damages are distributed randomly in both molecular strands, and the DSB damage is statistical produced when two SSB are between two base pairs. It was found that the statistical results describe the gross trend of the data for neutrons, while for electrons the agreement is excellent. Quite interesting, however, was the verification that statistical models are unable to predict multiple neutron-induced DNA breaks at near-zero doses pointing, thus, to the need of a cluster model. Results: Our results are compared with recent experimental data obtained by means of the Atomic Force Microscope. Conclusion: We observe that the DSB damage induces by electrons can be well described by our model, while the results from neutron irradiation at low doses needs other assumptions that are not included in this model, as e.g. direct damage