DNA damage induced by carbon ions (C³⁺) beam accessed by independent component analysis of infrared spectra

Abstract

Purpose: To understand the degradation processes and role of secondary species on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-damaged fragments as a result of irradiation with energetic ions.

Materials and methods: Damage caused to DNA thin films as a result of exposure to 4 keV carbon ions beam was accessed by analyzing the infrared spectra, obtained in situ for different irradiation times, with both bi-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy and independent component analysis (ICA).

Results: Results indicated that deoxyribose, phosphate and base groups of the DNA molecule were being damaged and new reaction products as oxime and furfural groups are being formed.

Conclusions: Damage on DNA bases is consistent with the formation of oxime products which react with DNA deoxyribose products forming furfural groups and confirming that DNA damage is caused by direct and indirect processes.

Keywords::

• DNA damage
• carbon ion
• ion beam
• deoxyribose
• oxime
• furfural

Acknowledgements

The work described in this paper was carried out at the distributed LEIF-Infrastructure at QU-LEIF, Queen's University Belfast, supported by Transnational Access programme. The authors thank for the financial support to “Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia” (Portugal). MR, PAR and PJG acknowledge visiting fellowships within the Open University, UK. MR acknowledges the Short Term Scientific Mission COST P9 –STSM 02196. PAR acknowledges the support received from the European Science Foundation (ESF) for the activity entitled ‘Electron Induced Processing at the Molecular Level’. PG acknowledges the fellowship SFRH/BD/35954/2007.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.