title: Early events of DNA photodamage.
abstract: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a leading external hazard to the integrity of DNA. Exposure to UV radiation triggers a cascade of chemical reactions, and many molecular products (photolesions) have been isolated that are potentially dangerous for the cellular system. The early steps that take place after UV absorption by DNA have been studied by ultrafast spectroscopy. The review focuses on the evolution of excited electronic states, the formation of photolesions, and processes suppressing their formation. Emphasis is placed on lesions involving two thymine bases, such as the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer, the (6-4) lesion, and its Dewar valence isomer.
authors: Lehrstuhl für BioMolekulare Optik, Fakultät für Physik and Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science CIPSM, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80538 München, Germany; email: wolfgang.zinth@physik.uni-muenchen.de.
authors: Wolfgang J
authors: WJ
authors: Schreier
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Gilch
authors: Wolfgang
authors: W
authors: Zinth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation / Q000528:radiation effects; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: CPD formation; DNA photochemistry; UV-induced photolesions; charge transfer excited states; dimeric photoproducts; ultrafast spectroscopy