[Is the AP site an intermediary in the formation of interstrand crosslinks in irradiated DNA?].

Irradiation of DNA produces primary AP (apurinic of apyrimidinic) sites due to the loss of modified bases and secondary AP sites resulting from the destruction of deoxyribose. The aldehyde groups of the primary AP sites and of some secondary AP sites might be responsible for the formation of the crosslinks in irradiated DNA.