Survival curves were obtained for haploid and diploid yeasts, Saccharmyces cerevisiae, of wild-type strains and radiosensitive mutants exposed to γ-rays and α-particles. A correlation between the values of the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of high-LET radiation and cell-repair capacity was found. The difference in radiosensitivities of the wild-type diploid strain and homozygous rad mutants incapable of recovery was significantly higher after low-LET radiation than after high-LET radiation. Possible reasons for the observed radiation responses to low- and high-LET exposure of yeast cells with various genotype are discussed.
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