Damage to dry plasmid DNA induced by nanosecond XUV-laser pulses

Ionizing radiation induces a variety of DNA damages including single-strand breaks (SSBs), double-strand breaks (DSBs), abasic sites, modified sugar and bases. Most theoretical and experimental studies have been focused on DNA strand scissions, in particular production of DNA double-strand breaks. DSBs have been proven to be a key damage at a molecular level responsible for the formation of chromosomal aberrations, leading often to cell death. The complexity of lesions produced in DNA by ionizing radiations is thought to depend on the amount of energy deposited at the site of each lesion. We have studied the nature of DNA damage induced directly by the pulsed 46.9 nm radiation provided by a capillary-discharge Ne-like Ar laser (CDL). Different surface doses were delivered with a repetition rate of a few Hz and an average pulse energy ~ 1 μJ. A simple model DNA molecule, i.e., dried closed-circular plasmid DNA (pBR322), was irradiated. The agarose gel electrophoresis method was used for determination of both SSB and DSB yields. Results are compared with a previous study of plasmid DNA irradiated with a single sub-nanosecond 1-keV X-ray pulse produced by a large-scale, double-stream gas puff target, illuminated by sub-kJ, near-infrared (NIR) focused laser pulses at the PALS facility (Prague Asterix Laser System).