Concept explainers
To describe: UV radiation’s damaging effects on living cells.
Introduction: Ultraviolet radiation is a short-wavelength non-ionizing radiation. When compared to infrared radiation or visible light, UV light has higher germicidal activity. In general, shorter wavelength causes more damage to cells.
Explanation of Solution
UV light’s primary lethal effects are due to its mutagenic properties. The maximum absorption of UV light by DNA is at 260 nm. If UV light is absorbed by DNA, then it results in pyrimidine dimer formation, in which covalent bond formation occurs between two adjacent thymine molecules or cytosine molecules present in the strand of DNA. These dimers result in the deformation of DNA molecules so that the DNA strands cannot be replicated by DNA polymerase past the dimer formation site and also the genes past this point cannot be transcribed.
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Chapter 28 Solutions
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