The use of glycerol to link DNA damage from hydroxyl radicals with the activities of DNA repair enzymes.

We show that glycerol can be used to study the relationship between DNA damage caused by hydroxyl radicals and the activities of different DNA repair enzymes. We suggest that such tests with glycerol will lead to a better understanding of the mechanistic basis for radiation-induced cell death, as well as provide valuable information on the specific roles of different DNA repair enzymes.