Cellular d~~e~~a~onin a number of eukaryotic systems is associated with changes in the number of DNAstrand breaks and involves the activity of adenosine d~phosphor~bosyi transferase (ADPRT). DNA-strand breaks are essential For activation of nuclear ADPRT, the activity of which is required for efficient religation OF DNA-strand breaks. In this study we demonstrate the dynamic nature of DNA-strand breaks Formed in the genome of differentiating atian skeletal muscle cells and quiescent human lymphocytes. Inhibition of ADPRT activity blocks DNA-strand ligation in both cell types and leads to the a~umuiation of a higher number OF strand breaks,
DNA-strand break ADP-ribosylationSingle-strand DNA breaks are formed at an early stage during the spontaneous differentiation of primary avian skeletal myoblasts in culture [1,2]. Induction of differentiation in murine erythroleukaemic cells [3,4], human promyelocytic leukaemia cells [S] and normal human granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells [6,7] also results in the early formation of DNA-strand breaks. Quiescent human and murine l~ph~~es contain DNAstrand breaks which are iigated soon after mitogen stimulation (2-20 h), before most indications of activation are manifest f&-10]. In all of these examples alteration in the number af DNA-strand