title: Photophysical properties of 5-methylcytidine.
abstract: Cytosine methylation, which determines the hot spots for DNA photo-damage, is shown to induce a red-shift of the nucleoside absorption spectrum, making the chromophore more vulnerable to solar radiation, and a tenfold increase of the fluorescence lifetime, making excited statereactions more probable. A femtosecond investigation of the excited state deactivation reveals a quite complex mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Francis Perrin, CEA/DSM/DRECAM/SPAM - CNRS URA 2453, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
authors.forename: Alexei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharonov
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gustavsson
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marguet
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Markovitsi
mesh_terms: D003562:Cytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D003562:Cytidine; C016568:5-methylcytidine