Double strand breaks induced by low doses of gamma rays or heavy ions: quantitation in nonradioactive human DNA.

We have developed a method of quantitating low frequencies (0-30 sites/10(9) base pairs) of double strand breaks in approximately 1 microgram of nonradioactive human DNA. Unirradiated or irradiated DNA is digested with the restriction endonuclease NotI, producing cleavage fragments that include a major group centered at approximately 1.2-1.3 Mbp. The DNA molecules are separated as a function of size by transverse alternating field electrophoresis. The frequency of double strand breaks is computed directly from the decrease in number average molecular length induced in the 1.2- to 1. 3-Mbp cleavage fragment group by 137Cs gamma or Fe26+ (1.1 GeV/nucleon) irradiation vs the corresponding unirradiated DNA samples. The double strand break frequency can be quantitated easily in the dose range of 0-10 cGy of gamma rays. The frequency of breaks per unit dose calculated for gamma irradiation of DNA in human cells (approximately 4.6 double strand breaks/10(9) bp/Gy) is within the range of values obtained by others (2-8 sites/10(9) bp/Gy) who used methods requiring higher doses.