[Glycosylases [4Fe-4S] and the charge transfer in DNA]

Both the physical and chemical test results indicate that the DNA under different conditions can act as a narrow band semiconductor. The charge transfer along the DNA double strand molecule depends both on the nucleotide sequence and the distance, and is possible only in the case of an ideal paring of both strands. The charge transfer within DNA may be perturbed/modified by formation of protein complexes, e.g., related to the processes of DNA repair. On the other hand, redox potentials of metalloproteins are modulated by binding to DNA. Particularly interesting are [4Fe-4S] glycosylases, iron-sulfur cluster containing enzymes involved in DNA base excision repair. There exists a hypothesis that disturbance of charge transfer along DNA is a signal associated with the regulation of cellular response to damage of the double helix. In the following review, based on the work of J. Barton and coworkers, the question is discussed of whether the [4Fe-4S] cluster may participate in the process of finding the DNA damage by repair proteins through detection of electronic structure perturbations.