Published October 7, 2005 | Version v1
Journal article

Beyond the Bragg Peak: Hyperthermal Heavy Ion Damage to DNA Components

  • 1. Ion Reaction Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiobiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4 (Canada)

Description

We have observed the destruction of fundamental building blocks of DNA (nucleoside, base, and sugar) by hyperthermal (0.25-1.75 eV/amu) heavy ion impact. Nucleoside damage pathways include base or sugar loss, and complete disintegration of either moiety. Sugar damage dominates, and in DNA will yield a complex strand break. Our results suggest that (a) heavy particle damage to biological media may extend to ion track ends beyond the Bragg peak, and (b) the nascent damage by hyperthermal secondary heavy particles, formed along the primary ion tracks, may be equally complex

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review Letters
Journal Volume
95
Journal Issue
15
Journal Page Range
p. 153201-153201.4
ISSN
0031-9007
CODEN
PRLTAO

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2005 The American Physical Society