Electron Transfer Dynamics in Nucleic Acid Systems
Summary
Electron transfer in nucleic acids underpins vital processes from oxidative DNA damage to emerging bioelectronic applications. The interplay of molecular structure, base sequence and environmental factors dictates whether electrons or so-called holes migrate via coherent tunnelling or thermally activated hopping. Experimental techniques such as ultrafast spectroscopy and pulse radiolysis reveal transient radical species and charge migration on femtosecond to millisecond timescales. Complementary theoretical methods, from quantum–mechanical/molecular–mechanical simulations to Marcus theory, quantify redox potentials, reorganisation energies and charge delocalisation. Together these approaches illuminate how nucleobase stacking, duplex rigidity and solvent interactions govern charge-transport pathways, with implications for understanding mutagenesis, designing electrochemical sensors and developing DNA-based nanowires.
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Electron Transfer Dynamics in Nucleic Acid Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in electron transfer dynamics in nucleic acid systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Electron transfer: Movement of electrons or electron vacancies (holes) between molecular sites within or between nucleic acid strands.
Radical cation: Positively charged species formed by removal of an electron, often referred to as a hole in DNA context.
Hole delocalisation: Distribution of positive charge over multiple nucleobases, stabilising transient radical states.
Marcus theory: Framework describing rates of electron transfer reactions in terms of driving force and reorganisation energy.
Pulse radiolysis: Technique employing short radiation pulses to generate and observe transient radical species on nanosecond to millisecond timescales.
References
- Modeling One-Electron Oxidation Potentials and Hole Delocalization in Double-Stranded DNA by Multilayer and Dynamic Approaches. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling (2024).
- Hydroxyl Radical vs. One-Electron Oxidation Reactivities in an Alternating GC Double-Stranded Oligonucleotide: A New Type Electron Hole Stabilization. Biomolecules (2023).
- Short-Range Charge Transfer in DNA Base Triplets: Real-Time Tracking of Coherent Fluctuation Electron Transfer. Molecules (2023).
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