Agricultural and Biological Sciences
5 years ago

Ancient seawater protects DNA from radiation damage, unlocking biological evolution.

International Journal of Astrobiology
Effect of γ-radiation on adenine dissolved in distilled water, saline solutions and artificial seawater resembling that of 4.0 billion years ago
João Paulo T. Baú, Saúl A. Villafañe-Barajas, A. Negrón-Mendoza, Marìa Colín-García, Dimas Augusto Morozin Zaia

Paper Summary

The researchers studied how radiation affects adenine in different types of water. They found that seawater resembling that of 4.0 billion years ago protected adenine better from radiation damage. The radiation caused changes in the structure of adenine, forming new compounds like hydroxyl-adenine and adenine N x -oxide. These new compounds could be important for the development of life.

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