DNA strand breaks can be detected with great sensitivity by exposing crude cell lysates to alkaline solutions and monitoring the rate of strand unwinding. As little as one strand break per chromosome can be detected. Previous methods for measuring strand unwinding have required physical separation of single- from double-stranded molecules. We now describe conditions under which unwinding can be monitored directly using a fluorescent dye, thus greatly simplifying the analysis. Breaks due to irradiation of blood samples by 60Co gamma-rays at doses as low as 0.05 to 0.1 gray (5 to 10 rads) were detectable. Rapid rejoining of strand breaks during in vitro incubation at 37 degrees could readily be observed following a dose of one gray. Since the procedure is very rapid and cells can be analyzed directly without the requirement for culturing or radiolabeling, the procedure could be useful in cancer chemotherapy if in vivo damage is to be monitored or for testing the in vitro sensitivity of cells to drugs.