Electron migration in 5-bromouracil-substituted DNA and oligonucleotides in irradiated aqueous solutions

Conference · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:10172406

Zimbrick, J D; Beach, C M; Fuciarelli, A G; Sisk, E C

Results of work by other investigators support the hypothesis that negative charge can migrate in DNA. Charge transfer between nucleotides and electron migration in solid state DNA has been demonstrated, with migration distances as great as 110 bases. Here we report a series of studies on aqueous solutions of DNA and oligonucleotides in which the radiolysis of 5-bromouracil (BU) substituted for thymine is used as a molecular probe to detect and measure the extent of electron migration. In studies using oligonucleotides, BU was substituted for thymine at specific locations in defined base sequences using automated phosphoramidite synthesis techniques. Using these single-stranded oligonucleotides with BU located at the 5 in. end of the sequence, electrons do not appear to migrate more than one base, if any.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 10172406
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA--20943; CONF-9206228--1; ON: DE92019104
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200
560120
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOCHEMISTRY
BROMOURACILS
ELECTRON TRANSFER
OLIGONUCLEOTIDES
RADIATION EFFECTS ON BIOCHEMICALS, CELLS, AND TISSUE CULTURE
RADIOCHEMISTRY
RADIOLYSIS