Martin F, Burrow PD, Cai Z, Cloutier P, Hunting D, Sanche L. DNA strand breaks induced by 0-4 eV electrons: the role of shape resonances.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2004;
93:068101. [PMID:
15323664 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.93.068101]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 296] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Collisions of 0-4 eV electrons with thin DNA films are shown to produce single strand breaks. The yield is sharply structured as a function of electron energy and indicates the involvement of pi* shape resonances in the bond breaking process. The cross sections are comparable in magnitude to those observed in other compounds in the gas phase in which pi* electrons are transferred through the molecule to break a remote bond. The results therefore support aspects of a theoretical study by Barrios et al. [J. Phys. B 106, 7991 (2002)]] indicating that such a mechanism could produce strand breaks in DNA.
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