Abstract:Photolyases are intriguing enzymes that take advantage of sunlight to restore lesions like cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers or (6-4) photoproducts. In this work, the attention is focused on the photoreductive process responsible for splitting of the azetidine ring proposed to occur during (6-4) photoproduct repair at thymine-cytosine sequence. A model compound formed by photocycloaddition between thymine and 6-azauracil has been designed to mimic the elusive azetidine intermediate. The photoinduced electron transfer process has been investigated by means of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence using photosensitizers with oxidation potentials in the singlet excited state ranging from -3.3 to -2.1 V vs SCE. Azetidine ring splitting and recovery of "repaired" bases has been proven by HPLC analysis.
Electron transfer involving nucleic acids and their derivatives is an important field in bioorganic chemistry, specifically in connection with its role in the photo-driven DNA damage and repair. Four-membered ring heterocyclic oxetanes and azetidines have been claimed to be the intermediates involved in the repair of DNA (6-4) photoproduct by photolyase. In this context, we examine here the redox properties of the two azetidine isomers obtained from photocycloaddition between 6-aza-1,3-dimethyluracil and cyclohexene. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence experiments using a series of photoreductants and photooxidants have been run to evaluate the efficiency of the electron transfer process. Analysis of the obtained quenching kinetics shows that the azetidine compounds can act as electron donors. Additionally, it appears that the cis isomer is more easily oxidized than its trans counterpart. This result is in agreement with electrochemical studies performed on both azetidine derivatives.
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