Excess electron transfer in flavin-capped, thymine dimer-containing DNA hairpins.
The transfer of an excess electron through DNA was investigated with DNA hairpins, which contain a flavin cap functioning as an electron donor. A thymine dimer with an open backbone acts as the electron acceptor. The dimer translates the electron capture into a strand break, which is readily detectable by HPLC. Analysis of four hairpins, in which the distance between the flavin donor and the dimer acceptor was systematically increased, revealed a flat distance dependence of the repair efficiency supporting the view that excess electrons hop through DNA using intermediate A-T base pairs as temporary charge carriers.
Behrens
Christoph
C
Department of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, D-35032, Marburg, Germany.
Carell
Thomas
T
D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000502:physiology; D005415:Flavins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
D005415:Flavins; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers; D004247:DNA