X-Ray-induced Depolymerization of Thymonucleohistone and of Sodium Thymonucleate

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Abstract
Solns. of 0.2% Na thymonucleate in water and 0.4% thymonucleohistone in 1 M NaCl were irradiated with X-rays. Streaming birefringence, present in both solns. before X-raying, was considerably decreased by 120,000 r and the loss was much greater for the nucleate than for the histone. These changes probably represent a degradation or partial depolymerization of high mol. wt. particles into shorter, more symmetrical chains or segments. These may (1) represent the initial step in the production of gene mutations and chromosomal breaks and (2) be instrumental in causing a breakdown of the normal nucleic acid metabolism of the cell.

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