Monte Carlo simulation of DNA strand-break induction in supercoiled plasmid pBR322 DNA from indirect effects

Radiat Environ Biophys. 1998 Feb;36(4):235-41. doi: 10.1007/s004110050077.

Abstract

We present a new Monte Carlo simulation code system (DBREAK) of the detailed events that occur when ionizing radiation interacts with water and DNA molecules. The model treats the initial energy deposition by radiation, the formation of chemically active species, subsequent diffusion-controlled chemical reactions, and induction of DNA strand breaks. DBREAK assumes one-hit single-strand break (SSB) and two-hit double-strand break (DSB) mechanisms. A high-resolution model of plasmid DNA structure has been introduced. The calculated results are compared with the results of previously performed experiments of the same type. Under aerobic conditions, 89.4% of the DNA damage was attributed to OH-radical and 10.5% and 0.1% to eaq- and H, respectively. We also compared the differences between liquid-water track structure and gas-phase-water track structure. The calculated yield of SSBs by liquid-water track structure exceeded that of gas-phase-water track structure by a factor of 1.2.

MeSH terms

  • Aerobiosis
  • Algorithms
  • DNA Damage*
  • DNA, Superhelical / chemistry
  • DNA, Superhelical / radiation effects*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Hydroxyl Radical
  • Models, Chemical
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Plasmids / chemistry
  • Plasmids / radiation effects*
  • Radiation, Ionizing
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Software

Substances

  • DNA, Superhelical
  • Free Radical Scavengers
  • Hydroxyl Radical