The Effects Of Uvb Waves On Dna Bases - 1157 Words

When someone tells you that too much sun is bad for you, they say that because they know that too much sunlight causes cancer. Skin cancer is caused by mutations caused by ultraviolet radiation. This Ultraviolet radiation is detrimental to the human body. Ultraviolet radiation has been established as a genotoxic agent. A genotoxic agent is a chemical agent that damages genetic information within the cell. This causes a mutation and the mutation may lead to cancer ( Bianchi, J. et al. 2013). But what exactly is ultra violet radiation? The sunlight that reaches us is made up of two types of harmful rays: long wave ultraviolet A (UVA) and short wave ultraviolet B (UVB) There’s also a third type of ray, UVC, these are the shortest and strongest, but they are absorbed by the ozone layer and don’t typically reach the Earth ( Bianchi, J. et al. 2013). However, in many experiments UVC is used. What We Already Know on Effects of UVB Waves on DNA Bases. UVB radiation is the most energetic component of solar radiation that hits the earth’s surface. The main photochemical reactions within cellular DNA involve mostly the direct absorption of UVB photons by the DNA bases, mostly pyrimidine constituents, including thymine, cytosine and the minor 5-methylcytosine ( Bianchi, J. et al.). It was also shown recently that purine bases may also be the target of UVB radiation, although to a smaller extent, as the result of the direct absorption of photons within the wavelength range 290–320 nmShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Uv Radiation On Human Body Essay2449 Words   |  10 Pagesand the effects that it brings to the human body. Admittedly, the sunshine the body some benefits, such as boosting the body’s supply of vitamin D and enhancing the mood. However, while people are receiving profits, they are also being influenced by some drawbacks. The long time exposure to sunlight brings people quite harmful effects and even destroy people’s skin. The UV radiation can be classified as UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA rays would lead the cause of wrinkles on people’s skin and UVB rays wouldRead More Skin Cancer in Australia Essay3003 Words   |  13 Pagespublic health issue in Australia. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun in the UVA and UVB wavelengths is the primary cause. Australia has been a world leader in efforts to protect the ozone layer, the main line of defense against ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun. Ultraviolet radiation induces the formation of thymine dimers that cause mutation of skin cells if not repaired before DNA replication. Mutations of tumor suppressor genes can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. UltravioletRead MoreOzone Layer Depletion4985 Words   |  20 PagesISSUES AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE OZONE LAYER DEPLETION INTRODUCTION The ozone layer protects the Earth from the ultraviolet rays sent down by the sun.   If the ozone layer is depleted by human action, the effects on the planet could be catastrophic. In recent years, the ozone layer has been the subject of much discussion.   And rightly so, because the ozone layer protects both plant and animal life on the planet. The atmosphere is divided into five layers:   the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere