Reduction of survival and induction of chromosome aberrations in tobacco irradiated by carbon ions with different linear energy transfers

Hase, Yoshihiro; Yamaguchi, Muratoshi*; Inoue, Masayoshi*; Tanaka, Atsushi

International Journal of Radiation Biology, 78(9), p.799 - 806, 2002/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/09553000210152971

In order to determine the relationship between linear energy transfer (LET) and relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for survival reduction and chromosome aberration induction in plants, tobacco seeds were exposed to carbon ions having LET ranging from 92 to 260 keV/m. The RBE for both endpoints increased with increasing LET and showed the highest value at 230 keV/m. The highest RBE was 65.0 for survival reduction and 52.5 for chromosome aberration induction. The types and yield ratio of chromosome aberrations such as fragments and bridges were not affected by the radiation type at 0.5 mm root length (immediately after radicle emergence). As the rots elongated, the frequency of aberrant cells gradually decreased. The number of cells with fragments decreased faster than the number of cells with bridges. The decrement of chromosome aberrations appear to be slower in roots irradiated by carbon ions than in roots irradiated by -rays. These results show a close relationship between survival reduction and chromosome aberration induction in plants.