DNA-Mediated Charge Transport in DNA Repair

Author: Boal, Amie Kathleen

Year: 2008

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Barton, Jacqueline K.

Committee Members: Parker, Carl Stevens; Gray, Harry B.; Barton, Jacqueline K.; Lewis, Nathan Saul

Option: Chemistry

DOI: 10.7907/CMWB-6C92

Abstract

The double-helical structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) imparts upon this important biological molecule both the ability to store genetic information within a cell and also the capacity to serve as medium for charge transport. DNA-mediated charge transport is now a very well-studied phenomenon but biological roles for these reactions have not been explored. It has been demonstrated that DNA-mediated charge transport can funnel oxidative DNA damage to sites of low oxidation potential in a number of biologically relevant environments ranging from reconstituted nucleosome core particles, to isolated nuclei and mitochondria from HeLa cells. DNA-mediated charge transport may also play a role in transcriptional activation or repression as modulated by redox-active transcription factors. Here we examine how DNA-mediated charge migration could also provide a pathway for protein-protein communication among DNA repair enzymes, a pathway that might serve as a scheme for rapid lesion detection inside the cell.

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