Modelling of Auger-induced DNA damage by incorporated 125I

We have analyzed a newly available high resolution and precision repeat of the original Martin and Haseltine experiment which includes the influence of DMSO on the results. The new model includes the production and diffusion of radical species and .OH radical attack on DNA as well as the direct hits. Calculations of single-strand breaks use individual Auger electron along with the tracks of electrons and radical species superimposed on an atomistic model of B-DNA. Comparison of the preliminary calculations with the experiment supports the earlier choice of data for the amount of energy required to produce a single-strand break, i.e. 17.5 eV. In a separate simulation we found that an average of less than two ionizations inducing a single-strand break gave the best fit to experimental data. Direct hits were found to be predominantly occurring at short range while the damage by .OH radicals was mainly of the long-range type.