I understand that radioactive radiation can cause cell mutations and as a result cancer but what causes non-radioactive chemicals to be carcinogenic?
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Radiation can cause damages to the cells and especially their DNA. Certain chemicals can do the same things, but chemically. They destroy molecules, exchange single atoms etc.
Radiation can cause damages to the cells and especially their DNA. Certain chemicals can do the same things, but chemically. They destroy molecules, exchange single atoms etc.
Radiation can cause damages to the cells and especially their DNA. Certain chemicals can do the same things, but chemically. They destroy molecules, exchange single atoms etc.
There are multiple mechanisms that can cause a compound to be carcinogenic. The most obvious are compounds that are highly reactive and will chemically destroy the DNA. Example sif these include hydrogen peroxide and other Reactive Oxygen Species (calls ROS). These molecules are so reactive they aren’t likely to be a carcinogen though, is there more likely to react with the cell membrane, something in the side is all, or the nuclear membrane, before they reach the DNA.
In addition to ROS compounds, there are other chemicals that may react more specifically with DNA, and cause a change such as converting one base pair to another or even bonding directly to the DNA. Compounds that do this aren’t really destroying the DNA, not the same was radiation and ROS destroy DNA, but nonetheless they render the DNA useless so it is effectively still destroyed. If the organism can’t read and copy the DNA, bad things happen.
Another mechanism, one I find personally the most fascinating, is called intercalation. Basically this mean that the molecule is capable of sliding in between individual base pairs of a DNA strand, preventing it from being read or copied propey. Unlike many of the other mechanisms discussed, there are no covalent bonds formed, no ionizing radiation, etc. Instead the molecule just “likes” to slide between those steps on the ladder of the DNA, and then stay there. You’ve probably seen DNA testing (the ones that make gels that look like this, called electrophoresis gels) that looks like [this](https://images.app.goo.gl/X92Rfon6mh1dWFy58). To make the bands dark, special dyes are used, and almost all of these dyes work because they are intercalating with the DNA.
There are multiple mechanisms that can cause a compound to be carcinogenic. The most obvious are compounds that are highly reactive and will chemically destroy the DNA. Example sif these include hydrogen peroxide and other Reactive Oxygen Species (calls ROS). These molecules are so reactive they aren’t likely to be a carcinogen though, is there more likely to react with the cell membrane, something in the side is all, or the nuclear membrane, before they reach the DNA.
In addition to ROS compounds, there are other chemicals that may react more specifically with DNA, and cause a change such as converting one base pair to another or even bonding directly to the DNA. Compounds that do this aren’t really destroying the DNA, not the same was radiation and ROS destroy DNA, but nonetheless they render the DNA useless so it is effectively still destroyed. If the organism can’t read and copy the DNA, bad things happen.
Another mechanism, one I find personally the most fascinating, is called intercalation. Basically this mean that the molecule is capable of sliding in between individual base pairs of a DNA strand, preventing it from being read or copied propey. Unlike many of the other mechanisms discussed, there are no covalent bonds formed, no ionizing radiation, etc. Instead the molecule just “likes” to slide between those steps on the ladder of the DNA, and then stay there. You’ve probably seen DNA testing (the ones that make gels that look like this, called electrophoresis gels) that looks like [this](https://images.app.goo.gl/X92Rfon6mh1dWFy58). To make the bands dark, special dyes are used, and almost all of these dyes work because they are intercalating with the DNA.
There are multiple mechanisms that can cause a compound to be carcinogenic. The most obvious are compounds that are highly reactive and will chemically destroy the DNA. Example sif these include hydrogen peroxide and other Reactive Oxygen Species (calls ROS). These molecules are so reactive they aren’t likely to be a carcinogen though, is there more likely to react with the cell membrane, something in the side is all, or the nuclear membrane, before they reach the DNA.
In addition to ROS compounds, there are other chemicals that may react more specifically with DNA, and cause a change such as converting one base pair to another or even bonding directly to the DNA. Compounds that do this aren’t really destroying the DNA, not the same was radiation and ROS destroy DNA, but nonetheless they render the DNA useless so it is effectively still destroyed. If the organism can’t read and copy the DNA, bad things happen.
Another mechanism, one I find personally the most fascinating, is called intercalation. Basically this mean that the molecule is capable of sliding in between individual base pairs of a DNA strand, preventing it from being read or copied propey. Unlike many of the other mechanisms discussed, there are no covalent bonds formed, no ionizing radiation, etc. Instead the molecule just “likes” to slide between those steps on the ladder of the DNA, and then stay there. You’ve probably seen DNA testing (the ones that make gels that look like this, called electrophoresis gels) that looks like [this](https://images.app.goo.gl/X92Rfon6mh1dWFy58). To make the bands dark, special dyes are used, and almost all of these dyes work because they are intercalating with the DNA.
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