Sensitivity of DNA-Mediated Electron Transfer to the Intervening -Stack: A Probe for the Integrity of the DNA Base Stack

摘要

These results demonstrate that long-range electron (hole) transfer in DNA is sensitive to perturvbations in the intervening base pair stack. This assay may prove to be a novel methodol- ogy in characterizing systems where the integrity of the π-stack is ill-defined and difficult to probe by other methods, such as in DNA-protein complexes. This modulation of oxidative DNA damage by disruptions in base stacking may also suggest mechanisms for the protection of DNA sequences from long- range radical damage within the cell.