Remote Photodamaging of DNA by Photoinduced Energy Transport

Local DNA photodamaging by light is well‐studied and leads to a number of structurally identified direct damage, in particular cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, and indirect oxidatively generated damage, such as 8‐oxo‐7,8‐hydroxyguanine. Similar damages have now been found at remote sites, at least more than 105 Å (30 base pairs) away from the site of photoexcitation. In contrast to the established mechanisms of local DNA photodamaging, the processes of remote photodamage are only partially understood. Known pathways include those to remote oxidatively generated DNA photodamages, which were elucidated by studying electron hole transport through the DNA about 20 years ago. Recent studies with DNA photosensitizers and mechanistic proposals on photoinduced DNA‐mediated energy transport are summarized in this minireview. These new mechanisms to a new type of remote DNA photodamaging provide an important extension to our general understanding to light‐induced DNA damage and their mutations.