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The hydroxyl radical can damage virtually all types of macromolecules: carbohydrates, nucleic acids , lipids (lipid peroxidation) and amino acids (e.g. conversion of Phe to m-Tyrosine and o-Tyrosine). The hydroxyl radical has a very short in vivo half-life of approximately 10 −9 seconds and a high reactivity. [5]
The hydroxyl radical, Lewis structure shown, contains one unpaired electron. Lewis dot structure of a Hydroxide ion compared to a hydroxyl radical. In chemistry, a radical, also known as a free radical, is an atom, molecule, or ion that has at least one unpaired valence electron.
Thus, hydroxyl radicals must be formed immediately adjacent to nucleic acids in order to react. Radiolysis of water creates peroxides that can act as diffusable, latent forms of hydroxyl radicals. Some metal ions in the vicinity of DNA generate the hydroxyl radicals from peroxide. [4] H 2 O + hν → H 2 O + + e − H 2 O + e − → H 2 O − ...
In cases where the free radical-induced chain reaction involves base pair molecules in a strand of DNA, the DNA can become cross-linked. [19] Oxidative free radicals, such as the hydroxyl radical and the superoxide radical, can cause DNA damages, and such damages have been proposed to play a key role in the aging of crucial tissues. [20]
Hydroxyl radical (HO·) is generated by Fenton reaction of hydrogen peroxide with ferrous compounds and related reducing agents: Fe(II) + H 2 O 2 → Fe(III)OH + HO· In its fleeting existence, the hydroxyl radical reacts rapidly irreversibly with all organic compounds. superoxide (O − 2) is produced by reduction of O 2. [4]
In chemistry, a hydroxy or hydroxyl group is a functional group with the chemical formula −OH and composed of one oxygen atom covalently bonded to one hydrogen atom. In organic chemistry , alcohols and carboxylic acids contain one or more hydroxy groups.
The hydroxyl radicals can then react with the nucleic acid molecules. [17] Hydroxyl radicals attack the ribose/deoxyribose ring and this results in breaking of the sugar-phosphate backbone. Sites under protection from binding proteins or RNA tertiary structure would be cleaved by hydroxyl radical at a lower rate. [17]
The free radicals generated by this process engage in secondary reactions. For example, the hydroxyl is a powerful, non-selective oxidant. [6] Oxidation of an organic compound by Fenton's reagent is rapid and exothermic and results in the oxidation of contaminants to primarily carbon dioxide and water.