Intracellular potassium: 40K as a primordial gene irradiator.

We have been interested in the possibility that the low energy electrons (Auger and Coster-Kronig) emitted after the electron capture decay of 40K may have highly localized radiochemical effects on the genetic material--effects dependent upon the intracellular locus of potassium. We report here that these effects are such that the likelihood of mutagenesis by their impact on DNA is substantial. This suggests that intracellular 40K has played a significant role as a mutagenic agent in evolution.