Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!njin!paul.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!nanotech From: jgsmith@bcm.tmc.edu (James G. Smith) Newsgroups: sci.nanotech Subject: Re: STM nuclear reactions Message-ID: Date: 5 Dec 90 03:13:30 GMT Sender: nanotech@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 26 Approved: nanotech@aramis.rutgers.edu I think watching radioactive DNA decay is both do-able and worth doing. The following is a real quick lesson in DNA structure. The building blocks of DNA are 4 bases, each of which is attached to a sugar. (They're all attached to the same kind of sugar: deoxyribose). A strand of DNA is made by linking the sugars together with phosphates. The bases are simply hanging off the sugars. The actual starting material for adding a base to the end of the DNA is the base attached to the sugar attached to three phosphates in a row. During synthesis, the two phosphates on the end get cut off and the phosphate closest to the sugar gets connected to the last sugar in the DNA strand. It is a routine procedure to radioactively label DNA by allowing the synthesis to occur using building blocks in which the phosphate closest to the sugar is radioactive (32-P). Thus, part of the chain which holds the DNA together is a radioactive atom. I don't know if much is known about what happens to DNA when the 32-P decays. That's why I think the experiment is worth doing. * (maybe they could look at other kinds of radiation, especially UV. How about tritium? What? You don't want to wait around for a few years?) Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com