title: Computational studies of DNA photolyase.
abstract: The electron transfer catalyzed (ETC) repair of the DNA photolesion cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) is mediated by the enzyme DNA photolyase. Due to its importance as part of the cancer prevention mechanism in many organisms, but also due to its unique mechanism, this DNA photoreactivation is a topic of intense study. The progress in the application of computational methods to three aspects of the ETC repair of CPD is reviewed: (i) electronic structure calculations of the cycloreversion of the CPD radical cation and radical anion, (ii) MD simulations of the DNA photolyase and its complex to photodamaged DNA, and (iii) the structure and dynamics of photodamaged DNA. The contributions of this work to the overall understanding of the reaction and its relationship to the available experimental work are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556-5670, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Lauren L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: O'Neil
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wiest
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D004255:Deoxyribodipyrimidine Photo-Lyase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010777:Photochemistry; D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011740:Pyrimidine Dimers; D004255:Deoxyribodipyrimidine Photo-Lyase