Electronic excitation energy transfer between nucleobases of natural DNA

J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Jul 18;134(28):11366-8. doi: 10.1021/ja304328g. Epub 2012 Jul 5.

Abstract

Transfer of the electronic excitation energy in calf thymus DNA is studied by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence anisotropy, after an initial decay starting on the femtosecond time scale, dwindles down to ca. 0.1. The in-plane depolarized fluorescence decays are described by a stretched exponential law. Our observations are consistent with one-dimensional transfer mediated by charge-transfer excited states.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Electrons
  • Energy Transfer
  • Fluorescence Polarization
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence

Substances

  • DNA