title: Near-UV induced interstrand cross-links in anthraquinone-DNA duplexes.
abstract: Anthraquinone (AQ) has been extensively used as a photosensitizer to study charge transfer in DNA. Near-UV photolysis of AQ induces electron abstraction in oligonucleotides leading to AQ radical anions and base radical cations. In general, this reaction is followed by the transport of base radical cations to sites of low oxidation potential, that is, GG, and conversion of G radical cations to DNA breaks. Here, we show that AQ also produces interstrand cross-links in DNA duplexes. About half of the cross-links collapse to single strands in hot piperidine treatment. The structure of stable interstrand cross-links was deduced by MS, NMR, and sequence substitution. The cross-links consist of a covalent link between the methyl group of T on one strand with either C6 or C7 of AQ on the other strand. The formation of interstrand cross-links decreased in O2 compared to deoxygenated solutions. In the presence of O2, the yield of breaks at GG doublets was 10-fold greater than that of cross-links for end tethered AQ, while cross-links exceeded breaks for centrally located AQ. The formation of stable cross-links can be explained by initial charge transfer from T to excited AQ, deprotonation of T radical cations, and condensation of the latter species with AQ radicals. These studies reveal a novel pathway of damage in the photolysis of AQ-DNA duplexes.
authors.affiliation: Group in the Radiation Sciences, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1H 5N4.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.forename: Vandana K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: J Richard
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000737:chemistry*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D004247:DNA