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Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes
Published on: April 4, 2025
Luminescence quenching by DNA-bound viologens: effect of reactant identity on efficiency and dynamics of electron
S O Kelle1, G Orellana, J K Barton
1Beckman Institute, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.
Abstract:
Photoinduced electron transfer from two intercalating photoactive donors, Ru(phen)2dppz2+ and ethidium, to intercalating viologen acceptors of the N,N'-dialkyl-6-(2'-pyridiniumyl)phenanthridinium family has been investigated through steady-state and time-resolved luminescence quenching measurements. Efficient quenching of the emission from these donors bound to DNA is observed at low concentrations of acceptor (1-10 eq.), and in time-resolved emission experiments it is determined that electron transfer occurs on the nanosecond time scale. Furthermore, transient absorption measurements confirm that the quenching is the result of a charge-transfer process; upon photoreaction of intercalated Ru(phen)2dppz2+ with a viologen acceptor, an intermediate with spectral properties resembling the expected charge-separated pair is observed. The quenching yields and kinetics obtained with this quencher are in marked contrast to those observed with these same donors paired with Rh(phi)2bpy3+ as an acceptor. The differing efficiencies of electron transfer for these donor/acceptor pairs bound to DNA as compared to others previously described are discussed qualitatively in terms of the structural and electronic properties of the different reactants.
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