The free-radical chemistry of DNA had been discussed in some detail in 1987 in my book The
Chemical Basis of Radiation Biology. Obviously the more recent developments and the
concomitant higher level of understanding of mechanistic details are missing. Moreover in the
living cell free-radical DNA damage is not only induced by ionizing radiation but
free-radical-induced DNA damage is a much more general phenomenon. It was therefore felt that
it is now timely to review our present knowledge of free-radical-induced DNA damage induced by
all conceivable free-radical-generating sources. Originally it had been thought to include
also a very important aspect the repair of DNA damage by the cell's various repair enzymes.
Kevin Prise (Cancer Campaign Gray Laboratory L- don) was so kind to agree to write this part.
However an adequate description of this strongly expanding area would have exceeded the
allocated space by much and this section had to be omitted. The directors of the
Max-Planck-Institut für Strahlenchemie (now MPI für Bioanorganische Chemie) Karl Wieghardt and
Wolfgang Lubitz kindly allowed me to continue to use its facilities after my retirement in
2001. Notably our - brarian Mrs. Jutta Theurich and her right-hand help Mrs. Rosemarie
Schr- er were most helpful in getting hold of the literature. I thank them very much. Without
their constant help this would have been very difficult indeed.
