Radiation induced DNA double strand breaks and chromosome aberrations.

This paper presents arguments which favour an alternative approach to the interpretation of radiation induced chromosome aberrations. Starting from the modern concept that a chromosome has a DNA double stranded helix backbone and that the induction of DNA double strand breaks has a quadratic dose relationship, it is concluded that most chromosome aberrations arise from only one chromosome break. The direct correlation between chromosome aberrations and cell death derived from the model is demonstrated by the analysis of experimental results. The effect of dose rate, LET and the occurrence of chromatid aberrations after irradiation in G1 are all logically explained by the theoretical model.