Page 115 - Radiation Safety

EFFECT OF RADIATION ON DNA

The number of adenine molecules in any specimen of DNA is always equal to the

number of thymine molecules, likewise the number of cytosine molecules equals to
the number of guanine.

These pair of bases always occur opposite one another on the helix.

Various type of damage which radiation may produce in DNA are as follow:

- Change of a base (deamination)

- Loss of a base

- Breakage of hydrogen bond between chain