Advances in Radiation Biology, Volume 17: DNA and Chromatin Damage Caused by Radiation outlines the different biological reactions to radiation. This book discusses the linear energy transfer and energy loss; DNA breaks and track structure; DNA radicals from water radicals; and radiation-induced strand breaks in isolated DNA. The radiation damage to DNA and its nearby environment; thiol radioprotectors and mechanism of action; radiolysis of water and track reactions; and computer simulation of higher order structure of DNA are also elaborated. This publication likewise covers the concept of chromatin structure; DNA supercoiling studied by sedimentation; measurement of radiation-induced DNA breakage; and analysis of damage in interphase cells. This volume is a useful reference to biologists and students concerned with DNA and chromatin damage caused by radiation.