DSBs

["Karam, Andrew" <Andrew_Karam@URMC.Rochester.edu>]

From: Bjorn Cedervall [mailto:bcradsafers@hotmail.com]

I think that it may be important to consider the types of DSBs and also how 
they are detected (a DSB detected by some assays may biologically be 
recognized and repaired as 2 SSBs). A DSB handled by the topoisomerase II 
system is well defined whereas DSBs caused by ionizations probably & usually

are not "clean" and more of ruptures that differ from DSB to DSB (abasic 
sites, at least two SSBs, base damages in different combinations and with 
different spacial relationships).
=======================

This is interesting, Bjorn.  Does this mean that there is a qualitative
difference between DSB's caused by high-LET, low-LET radiations and
non-radiation events?  If so, would each of these types of DSBs have a
different probability of repair?  Or would some be more likely lethal than
others?  I just assumed that all DSBs were pretty much the same. 

Andy
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