1
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Johny M, Schouder CA, Al-Refaie A, He L, Wiese J, Stapelfeldt H, Trippel S, Küpper J. Water is a radiation protection agent for ionised pyrrole. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:13118-13130. [PMID: 38629233 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03471b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Radiation-induced damage of biological matter is an ubiquitous problem in nature. The influence of the hydration environment is widely discussed, but its exact role remains elusive. Utilising well defined solvated-molecule aggregates, we experimentally observed a hydrogen-bonded water molecule acting as a radiation protection agent for ionised pyrrole, a prototypical aromatic biomolecule. Pure samples of pyrrole and pyrrole(H2O) were outer-valence ionised and the subsequent damage and relaxation processes were studied. Bare pyrrole ions fragmented through the breaking of C-C or N-C covalent bonds. However, for pyrrole(H2O)+, we observed a strong protection of the pyrrole ring through the dissociative release of neutral water or by transferring an electron or proton across the hydrogen bond. Overall, a single water molecule strongly reduces the fragmentation probability and thus the persistent radiation damage of singly-ionised pyrrole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melby Johny
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
- Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Constant A Schouder
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- LIDYL, CNRS, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Ahmed Al-Refaie
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Lanhai He
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Joss Wiese
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
- Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Henrik Stapelfeldt
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Sebastian Trippel
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
- Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Küpper
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
- Center for Ultrafast Imaging, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Physics, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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2
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Sedmidubská B, Kočišek J. Interaction of low-energy electrons with radiosensitizers. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:9112-9136. [PMID: 38376461 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06003a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
We provide an experimentalist's perspective on the present state-of-the-art in the studies of low-energy electron interactions with common radiosensitizers, including compounds used in combined chemo-radiation therapy and their model systems. Low-energy electrons are important secondary species formed during the interaction of ionizing radiation with matter. Their role in the radiation chemistry of living organisms has become an important topic for more than 20 years. With the increasing number of works and reviews in the field, we would like to focus here on a very narrow area of compounds that have been shown to have radio-sensitizing properties on the one hand, and high reactivity towards low-energy electrons on the other hand. Gas phase experiments studying electron attachment to isolated molecules and environmental effects on reaction dynamics are reviewed for modified DNA components, nitroimidazoles, and organometallics. In the end, we provide a perspective on the future directions that may be important for transferring the fundamental knowledge about the processes induced by low-energy electrons into practice in the field of rational design of agents for concomitant chemo-radiation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Sedmidubská
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS, Dolejškova 3, 182223 Prague, Czech Republic.
- Department of Nuclear Chemistry, Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Břehová 7, 11519 Prague, Czech Republic
- Institut de Chimie Physique, UMR 8000 CNRS and Faculté des sciences d'Orsay, Université Paris Saclay, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France
| | - Jaroslav Kočišek
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS, Dolejškova 3, 182223 Prague, Czech Republic.
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3
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Cooper G, Clarke CJ, Verlet JRR. Low-Energy Shape Resonances of a Nucleobase in Water. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 145:1319-1326. [PMID: 36584340 PMCID: PMC9853861 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
When high-energy radiation passes through aqueous material, low-energy electrons are produced which cause DNA damage. Electronic states of anionic nucleobases have been suggested as an entrance channel to capture the electron. However, identifying these electronic resonances have been restricted to gas-phase electron-nucleobase studies and offer limited insight into the resonances available within the aqueous environment of DNA. Here, resonance and detachment energies of the micro-hydrated uracil pyrimidine nucleobase anion are determined by two-dimensional photoelectron spectroscopy and are shown to extrapolate linearly with cluster size. This extrapolation allows the corresponding resonance and detachment energies to be determined for uracil in aqueous solution as well as the reorganization energy associated with electron capture. Two shape resonances are clearly identified that can capture low-energy electrons and subsequently form the radical anion by solvent stabilization and internal conversion to the ground electronic state. The resonances and their dynamics probed here are the nucleobase-centered doorway states for low-energy electron capture and damage in DNA.
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4
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Semmeq A, Badawi M, Dziurla MA, Ouaskit S, Monari A. Nucleic Acids under Stress: Understanding and Simulating Nucleobase Fragmentation Pathways. Chempluschem 2021; 86:1426-1435. [PMID: 34637193 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202100323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The effects of radiations on nucleic acids and their constituents is widely studied across several research fields using different experimental and theoretical protocols. While a large number of studies were performed in this context, many fundamental physical and chemical effects are still being investigated, particularly involving the effect of the biological environment. As an example, the interpretation of experimental nucleic acid bases mass spectra, and hence inferring their reactivity in complex environment still poses great challenge. This Minireview summarizes recent theoretical advancements aiming to predict and interpret the reactivity of nucleic acid bases. We focus not only on the understanding of the inherent fragmentation pathways of isolated nucleobases but also on the modeling of a realistic nano-environments highlighting the importance of molecular dynamics simulations and the non-innocent role of the environment and also the possibility to open novel fragmentation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Badawi
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, 54000, Nancy, France
| | | | - Said Ouaskit
- Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Faculté de Sciences Ben M'sick, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, 54000, Nancy, France
- Université de Paris and CNRS, ITODYS, 75006, Paris, France
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5
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Lietard A, Mensa-Bonsu G, Verlet JRR. The effect of solvation on electron capture revealed using anion two-dimensional photoelectron spectroscopy. Nat Chem 2021; 13:737-742. [PMID: 33941903 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-021-00687-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The reaction of low-energy electrons with neutral molecules to form anions plays an important role in chemistry, being involved in, for example, various biological and astrochemical processes. However, key aspects of electron-molecule interactions, such as the effect of incremental solvation on the initially excited electronic resonances, remain poorly understood. Here two-dimensional photoelectron spectroscopy of anionic anthracene and nitrogen-substituted derivatives-solvated by up to five water molecules-reveals that for an incoming electron, resonances red-shift with increasing hydration; but for the anion, the excitation energies of the resonances remain essentially the same. These complementary points of view show that the observed onset of enhanced anion formation for a specific cluster size is mediated by a bound excited state of the anion. Our findings suggest that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may be more efficient at electron capture than previously predicted with important consequences for the ionization fraction in dense molecular clouds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude Lietard
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, UK
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6
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Semmeq A, Badawi M, Hasnaoui A, Ouaskit S, Monari A. DNA Nucleobase under Ionizing Radiation: Unexpected Proton Transfer by Thymine Cation in Water Nanodroplets. Chemistry 2020; 26:11340-11344. [PMID: 32511805 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202002025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The effect of ionizing radiation on DNA constituents is a widely studied fundamental process using experimental and computational techniques. In particular, radiation effects on nucleobases are usually tackled by mass spectrometry in which the nucleobase is embedded in a water nanodroplet. Here, we present a multiscale theoretical study revealing the effects and the dynamics of water droplets towards neutral and ionized thymine. In particular, by using both hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics and full ab initio molecular dynamics, we reveal an unexpected proton transfer from thymine cation to a nearby water molecule. This leads to the formation of a neutral radical thymine and a Zundel structure, while the hydrated proton localizes at the interface between the deprotonated thymine and the water droplet. This observation opens entirely novel perspectives concerning the reactivity and further fragmentation of ionized nucleobases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abderrahmane Semmeq
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, 54000, Nancy, France.,Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée LPMC Faculté des, Sciences Ben M'sik, University Hassan II of Casablanca, BP 7955 Av. Driss El Harti, Sidi Othmane, 20000, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Michael Badawi
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, 54000, Nancy, France
| | - Abdellatif Hasnaoui
- LS3M, Faculté Polydisicplinaire-Khouribga, University Sultan Moulay Slimane of Beni Mellal, B.P 145, 25000, Khouribga, Morocco
| | - Said Ouaskit
- Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée LPMC Faculté des, Sciences Ben M'sik, University Hassan II of Casablanca, BP 7955 Av. Driss El Harti, Sidi Othmane, 20000, Casablanca, Morocco
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, 54000, Nancy, France
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7
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Mukherjee M, Tripathi D, Dutta AK. Water mediated electron attachment to nucleobases: Surface-bound vs bulk solvated electrons. J Chem Phys 2020; 153:044305. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0010509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Madhubani Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Divya Tripathi
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Achintya Kumar Dutta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
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8
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Cornetta LM, Coutinho K, Varella MTDN. Solvent effects on the π* shape resonances of uracil. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:084301. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5139459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- L. M. Cornetta
- Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 1371, 05508-090 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - K. Coutinho
- Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 1371, 05508-090 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - M. T. do N. Varella
- Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 1371, 05508-090 São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Lemelin V, Bass AD, Cloutier P, Sanche L. Low energy (1-19 eV) electron scattering from condensed thymidine (dT) II: comparison of vibrational excitation cross sections with those of tetrahydrofuran and the recalibrated values of thymine. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:23818-23825. [PMID: 31503272 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp03448j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent measurements of absolute vibrational cross sections (CSs) for low-energy electron (LEE) scattering from condensed thymidine (dT) allows comparison with CSs of its constituents; thymine and tetrahydrofuran (THF). To facilitate this comparison, the vibrational CSs of condensed thymine were remeasured at six electron incident energies and a correction was applied to the earlier thymine CS values measured by Lévesque et al. [Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. B, 2003, 208, 225]. The incident energy dependence of the CS of each vibrational mode of dT is compared with the corresponding modes in thymine and/or THF. It is found that the magnitude of the CSs of the thymine breathing mode and the C-C stretch mode of THF are greatly attenuated in dT. Finally, the magnitudes of the total vibrational CSs of each molecule are compared. Below 4 eV, the total vibrational CSs of dT is greater than each of its two constituents. Interestingly, at higher energy (>6 eV), the magnitude of the total vibrational CS of dT is roughly equal to that of THF and is greater than thymine by only 15% at 10 eV, showing that the CSs of dT cannot be approximated by the addition of the CSs of its constituents over the entire energy range. These comparisons are discussed in terms of the basic principles involved in the formation and decay of shape resonances, which are known to be responsible for major enhancements of LEE-induced vibrational excitation at low electron energies.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Lemelin
- Groupe en Sciences des Radiations, Département de Médecine Nucléaire et Radiobiologie, Faculté de Médecine et Sciences des radiations, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada.
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10
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Semmeq A, Monari A, Badawi M, Ouaskit S. Ab Initio Study of the Stepwise versus Concerted Fragmentation Pathways in Microhydrated Thymine Radical Cations. Chemistry 2019; 25:15525-15534. [PMID: 31373410 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201902462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Thymine radiation-induced fragmentation is characterised by ring opening and the loss of HNCO/NCO. These pathways have been investigated using DFT calculations in the presence of zero, one and two water molecules. In addition to the already characterised stepwise fragmentation mechanism, we propose a novel concerted pathway reported here for the first time. We show that both the stepwise and concerted mechanisms are competitive with activation energies of 2.05 eV and 2.00 eV, respectively, in the gas phase. The effect of microhydration on these mechanisms are examined based on the most stable conformations found by an exploration of the potential energy surface performed by using DFT-based ab initio molecular dynamics. Microhydration is also accompanied by an increase in the activation energies, with respect to gas phase, amounting to 0.47 eV-an increase that is associated to a stabilising effect of water in agreement with recent experimental studies. However, we also point out that this effect is greatly dependent on the specific water arrangement around thymine and could be limited to only 0.13 eV for some configurations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abderrahmane Semmeq
- Laboratoire Physique et Chimie Théoriques UMR 7019, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, BP239, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, 54506, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy-Cedex, France.,Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'sik, Université Hassan II de Casablanca, B.P 7955, Av Driss El Harti, Sidi Othmane, Casablanca, Maroc
| | - Antonio Monari
- Laboratoire Physique et Chimie Théoriques UMR 7019, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, BP239, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, 54506, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy-Cedex, France
| | - Michael Badawi
- Laboratoire Physique et Chimie Théoriques UMR 7019, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, BP239, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, 54506, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy-Cedex, France
| | - Said Ouaskit
- Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'sik, Université Hassan II de Casablanca, B.P 7955, Av Driss El Harti, Sidi Othmane, Casablanca, Maroc
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11
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Semmeq A, Ouaskit S, Monari A, Badawi M. Ionization and fragmentation of uracil upon microhydration. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:4810-4821. [PMID: 30773577 DOI: 10.1039/c8cp07452f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We study at the DFT level the ionization and the fragmentation of uracil in the presence of zero, one and two water molecules, to unravel the effect of microhydration on the reactivity of this nucleobase. We show that the microhydration lowers the adiabatic and vertical ionization potentials by 0.41 eV and 0.22 eV, respectively. Furthermore, microhydration increases the activation energies of the different dissociation channels up to 0.5 eV and restricts the formation of some fragments, in particular those corresponding to the C5-C6 fragmentation pathway. For the first time, our theoretical study shows new transition states and minima not found for the gas phase, hence indicating a change in the fragmentation mechanisms, as well as a stabilizing effect of microhydration, confirming previous experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abderrahmane Semmeq
- Laboratoire Physique et Chimie Théoriques UMR 7019, CNRS - Université de Lorraine, BP239, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, 54 506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy-Cedex, France.
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12
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McAllister M, Kazemigazestane N, Henry LT, Gu B, Fabrikant I, Tribello GA, Kohanoff J. Solvation Effects on Dissociative Electron Attachment to Thymine. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:1537-1544. [PMID: 30694675 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b11621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation can excite the cellular medium to produce secondary electrons that can subsequently cause damage to DNA. The damage is believed to occur via dissociative electron attachment (DEA). In DEA, the electron is captured by a molecule in a resonant antibonding state and a transient negative ion is formed. If this ion survives against electron autodetachment, then bonds within the molecule may dissociate as energy is transferred from the electronic degrees of freedom into vibrational modes of the molecule. We present a model for studying the effect that transferring kinetic energy into the vibrational modes of a molecule in this way has on a DNA nucleobase. We show that when the base is in an aqueous environment, dissociation is affected by interactions with the surrounding water molecules. In particular, hydrogen bonding between the nucleobase and the solvent can suppress the dissociative channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve McAllister
- Atomistic Simulation Centre , Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT7 1NN , U.K
| | | | - Liam T Henry
- Atomistic Simulation Centre , Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT7 1NN , U.K
| | - Bin Gu
- Atomistic Simulation Centre , Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT7 1NN , U.K.,Department of Physics , Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology , Nanjing 210044 , China
| | - Ilya Fabrikant
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , University of Nebraska , Lincoln , Nebraska 68588 , United States
| | - Gareth A Tribello
- Atomistic Simulation Centre , Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT7 1NN , U.K
| | - Jorge Kohanoff
- Atomistic Simulation Centre , Queen's University Belfast , Belfast BT7 1NN , U.K
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13
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Fraile A, Smyth M, Kohanoff J, Solov'yov AV. First principles simulation of damage to solvated nucleotides due to shock waves. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:015101. [PMID: 30621408 DOI: 10.1063/1.5028451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a first-principles molecular dynamics study of the effect of shock waves (SWs) propagating in a model biological medium. We find that the SW can cause chemical modifications through varied and complex mechanisms, in particular, phosphate-sugar and sugar-base bond breaks. In addition, the SW promotes the dissociation of water molecules, thus enhancing the ionic strength of the medium. Freed protons can hydrolyze base and sugar rings previously opened by the shock. However, many of these events are only temporary, and bonds reform rapidly. Irreversible damage is observed for pressures above 15-20 GPa. These results are important to gain a better understanding of the microscopic damage mechanisms underlying cosmic-ray irradiation in space and ion-beam cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fraile
- Atomistic Simulation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Maeve Smyth
- Atomistic Simulation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge Kohanoff
- Atomistic Simulation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Andrey V Solov'yov
- MBN Research Center, Altenhöferallee 3, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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14
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Verkhovtsev A, Ellis-Gibbings L, Blanco F, García G. Interference effects in electron scattering from small water clusters. Chem Phys Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2017.07.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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15
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Kohanoff J, McAllister M, Tribello GA, Gu B. Interactions between low energy electrons and DNA: a perspective from first-principles simulations. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2017; 29:383001. [PMID: 28617676 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/aa79e3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
DNA damage caused by irradiation has been studied for many decades. Such studies allow us to better assess the dangers posed by radiation, and to increase the efficiency of the radiotherapies that are used to combat cancer. A full description of the irradiation process involves multiple size and time scales. It starts with the interaction of radiation-either photons or swift ions-and the biological medium, which causes electronic excitation and ionisation. The two main products of ionising radiation are thus electrons and radicals. Both of these species can cause damage to biological molecules, in particular DNA. In the long run, this molecular level damage can prevent cells from replicating and can hence lead to cell death. For a long time it was assumed that the main actors in the damage process were the radicals. However, experiments in a seminal paper by the group of Leon Sanche in 2000 showed that low-energy electrons (LEE), such as those generated when ionising biological targets, can also cause bond breaks in biomolecules, and strand breaks in plasmid DNA in particular (Boudaiffa et al 2000 Science 287 1658-60). These results prompted a significant amount of experimental and theoretical work aimed at elucidating the role played by LEE in DNA damage. In this Topical Review we provide a general overview of the problem. We discuss experimental findings and theoretical results hand in hand with the aim of describing the physics and chemistry that occurs during the process of radiation damage, from the initial stages of electronic excitation, through the inelastic propagation of electrons in the medium, the interaction of electrons with DNA, and the chemical end-point effects on DNA. A very important aspect of this discussion is the consideration of a realistic, physiological environment. The role played by the aqueous solution and the amino acids from the histones in chromatin must be considered. Moreover, thermal fluctuations must be incorporated when studying these phenomena. Hence, a special place in this Topical Review is occupied by our recent first-principles molecular dynamics simulations that address the issue of how the environment favours or prevents LEEs from causing damage to DNA. We finish by summarising the conclusions achieved so far, and by suggesting a number of possible directions for further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Kohanoff
- Atomistic Simulation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
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16
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Poštulka J, Slavíček P, Fedor J, Fárník M, Kočišek J. Energy Transfer in Microhydrated Uracil, 5-Fluorouracil, and 5-Bromouracil. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:8965-8974. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b07390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Poštulka
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická
5, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - P. Slavíček
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická
5, Prague 6, Czech Republic
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - J. Fedor
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - M. Fárník
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - J. Kočišek
- J.
Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
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17
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Sieradzka A, Gorfinkiel JD. Theoretical study of resonance formation in microhydrated molecules. I. Pyridine-(H2O)n, n = 1,2,3,5. J Chem Phys 2017; 147:034302. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4993941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sieradzka
- School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom
| | - Jimena D. Gorfinkiel
- School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom
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18
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Sieradzka A, Gorfinkiel JD. Theoretical study of resonance formation in microhydrated molecules. II. Thymine-(H2O)n, n = 1,2,3,5. J Chem Phys 2017; 147:034303. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4993946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sieradzka
- School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom
| | - Jimena D. Gorfinkiel
- School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom
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19
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Rizzi V, Todorov TN, Kohanoff JJ. Inelastic electron injection in a water chain. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45410. [PMID: 28350013 PMCID: PMC5368653 DOI: 10.1038/srep45410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Irradiation of biological matter triggers a cascade of secondary particles that interact with their surroundings, resulting in damage. Low-energy electrons are one of the main secondary species and electron-phonon interaction plays a fundamental role in their dynamics. We have developed a method to capture the electron-phonon inelastic energy exchange in real time and have used it to inject electrons into a simple system that models a biological environment, a water chain. We simulated both an incoming electron pulse and a steady stream of electrons and found that electrons with energies just outside bands of excited molecular states can enter the chain through phonon emission or absorption. Furthermore, this phonon-assisted dynamical behaviour shows great sensitivity to the vibrational temperature, highlighting a crucial controlling factor for the injection and propagation of electrons in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Rizzi
- Atomistic Simulation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Tchavdar N Todorov
- Atomistic Simulation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge J Kohanoff
- Atomistic Simulation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
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20
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Influence of microhydration on the structures and proton-induced charge transfer in RNA intermediates. J Mol Model 2016; 22:262. [PMID: 27730379 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-016-3131-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Solvation effects are of major interest in the context of radiation damage, due to their potential applications in cancer therapy. Reliable modeling of the solvent is, however, quite challenging, and numerous studies have been devoted to isolated biomolecules and stepwise-hydrated molecules in which the amount of solvent is controlled one molecule at a time. The influence of stepwise hydration on radiation damage is investigated here using the example of proton-induced charge transfer in two biomolecular targets. Uracil has been widely investigated both experimentally and theoretically in this context, and 2-aminooxazole was recently shown to be a potentially important intermediate in prebiotic chemistry. Focusing here on doubly hydrated biomolecules, stable structures and infrared spectra were obtained by combining the results of molecular dynamics simulations with those of quantum chemistry calculations performed at the density-functional theory level with the double hybrid M06-2X functional. The charge-transfer cross-sections upon proton impact were obtained from ab initio molecular calculations and after applying a semi-classical approach to investigate the collision. Our results suggest a significant relationship between the detailed hydration structure and the efficacy of proton-induced charge transfer, highlighting the competing roles of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding.
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21
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Francés-Monerris A, Segarra-Martí J, Merchán M, Roca-Sanjuán D. Complete-active-space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2//CASSCF) study of the dissociative electron attachment in canonical DNA nucleobases caused by low-energy electrons (0-3 eV). J Chem Phys 2016; 143:215101. [PMID: 26646889 DOI: 10.1063/1.4936574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-energy (0-3 eV) ballistic electrons originated during the irradiation of biological material can interact with DNA/RNA nucleobases yielding transient-anion species which undergo decompositions. Since the discovery that these reactions can eventually lead to strand breaking of the DNA chains, great efforts have been dedicated to their study. The main fragmentation at the 0-3 eV energy range is the ejection of a hydrogen atom from the specific nitrogen positions. In the present study, the methodological approach introduced in a previous work on uracil [I. González-Ramírez et al., J. Chem. Theory Comput. 8, 2769-2776 (2012)] is employed to study the DNA canonical nucleobases fragmentations of N-H bonds induced by low-energy electrons. The approach is based on minimum energy path and linear interpolation of internal coordinates computations along the N-H dissociation channels carried out at the complete-active-space self-consistent field//complete-active-space second-order perturbation theory level. On the basis of the calculated theoretical quantities, new assignations for the adenine and cytosine anion yield curves are provided. In addition, the π1 (-) and π2 (-) states of the pyrimidine nucleobases are expected to produce the temporary anions at electron energies close to 1 and 2 eV, respectively. Finally, the present theoretical results do not allow to discard neither the dipole-bound nor the valence-bound mechanisms in the range of energies explored, suggesting that both possibilities may coexist in the experiments carried out with the isolated nucleobases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Javier Segarra-Martí
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universitat de València, P.O. Box 22085, 46071 València, Spain
| | - Manuela Merchán
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universitat de València, P.O. Box 22085, 46071 València, Spain
| | - Daniel Roca-Sanjuán
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universitat de València, P.O. Box 22085, 46071 València, Spain
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22
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Kočišek J, Pysanenko A, Fárník M, Fedor J. Microhydration Prevents Fragmentation of Uracil and Thymine by Low-Energy Electrons. J Phys Chem Lett 2016; 7:3401-3405. [PMID: 27525662 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.6b01601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
When ionizing radiation passes biological matter, a large number of secondary electrons with very low energies (<3 eV) is produced. It is known that such electrons cause an efficient fragmentation of isolated nucleobases via dissociative electron attachment. We present an experimental study of the electron attachment to microhydrated nucleobases. Our novel approach allows significant control over the hydration of molecules studied in the molecular beam. We directly show for the first time that the presence of a few water molecules suppresses the dissociative channel and leads exclusively to formation of intact molecular and hydrated anions. The suppression of fragmentation is ascribed to caging-like effects and fast energy transfer to the solvent. This is in contrast with theoretical prediction that microhydration strongly enhances the fragmentation of nucleobases. The current observation impacts mechanisms of reductive DNA strand breaks proposed to date on the basis of gas-phase experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kočišek
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - A Pysanenko
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - M Fárník
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - J Fedor
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences , Dolejškova 3, 18223 Prague, Czech Republic
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23
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McAllister M, Smyth M, Gu B, Tribello GA, Kohanoff J. Understanding the Interaction between Low-Energy Electrons and DNA Nucleotides in Aqueous Solution. J Phys Chem Lett 2015; 6:3091-3097. [PMID: 26267207 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b01011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Reactions that can damage DNA have been simulated using a combination of molecular dynamics and density functional theory. In particular, the damage caused by the attachment of a low energy electron to the nucleobase. Simulations of anionic single nucleotides of DNA in an aqueous environment that was modeled explicitly have been performed. This has allowed us to examine the role played by the water molecules that surround the DNA in radiation damage mechanisms. Our simulations show that hydrogen bonding and protonation of the nucleotide by the water can have a significant effect on the barriers to strand breaking reactions. Furthermore, these effects are not the same for all four of the bases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve McAllister
- †Atomistic Simulation Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - Maeve Smyth
- †Atomistic Simulation Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - Bin Gu
- †Atomistic Simulation Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
- ‡Department of Physics, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 21004, China
| | - Gareth A Tribello
- †Atomistic Simulation Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge Kohanoff
- †Atomistic Simulation Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
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24
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Neustetter M, Aysina J, da Silva FF, Denifl S. The Effect of Solvation on Electron Attachment to Pure and Hydrated Pyrimidine Clusters. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:9124-6. [PMID: 26110285 PMCID: PMC4832840 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201503733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of low‐energy electrons with biomolecules plays an important role in the radiation‐induced alteration of biological tissue at the molecular level. At electron energies below 15 eV, dissociative electron attachment is one of the most important processes in terms of the chemical transformation of molecules. So far, a common approach to study processes at the molecular level has been to carry out investigations with single biomolecular building blocks like pyrimidine as model molecules. Electron attachment to single pyrimidine, as well as to pure clusters and hydrated clusters, was investigated in this study. In striking contrast to the situation with isolated molecules and hydrated clusters, where no anionic monomer is detectable, we were able to observe the molecular anion for the pure clusters. Furthermore, there is evidence that solvation effectively prevents the ring fragmentation of pyrimidine after electron capture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Neustetter
- Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik and Center for Molecular Biosciences, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck (Austria)
| | - Julia Aysina
- Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik and Center for Molecular Biosciences, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck (Austria)
| | - Filipe Ferreira da Silva
- Laboratório de Colisões Atómicas e Moleculares, CEFITEC, Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal).
| | - Stephan Denifl
- Institut für Ionenphysik und Angewandte Physik and Center for Molecular Biosciences, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck (Austria).
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25
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Neustetter M, Aysina J, da Silva FF, Denifl S. Einfluss der Solvatisierung auf die Elektronenanlagerung an Pyrimidin. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201503733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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26
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Bacchus-Montabonel MC, Calvo F. Nanohydration of uracil: emergence of three-dimensional structures and proton-induced charge transfer. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2015; 17:9629-33. [DOI: 10.1039/c5cp00611b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Stepwise hydration of uracil proceeds three dimensionally above three molecules and qualitatively changes the response to proton damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Florent Calvo
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique
- Rue de La Piscine
- Campus Saint Martin d'Hères
- 38000 Grenoble
- France
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