Molecular Spectroscopic Markers of DNA Damage

Every cell in a living organism is constantly exposed to physical and chemical factors which damage the molecular structure of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Cellular DNA lesions are the most dangerous because the genetic information, critical for the identity and function of each eukaryotic cell, is stored in the DNA. In this review, we describe spectroscopic markers of DNA damage, which can be detected by infrared, Raman, surface-enhanced Raman, and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopies, using data acquired from DNA solutions and mammalian cells. Various physical and chemical DNA damaging factors are taken into consideration, including ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, chemicals, and chemotherapeutic compounds. All major spectral markers of DNA damage are presented in several tables, to give the reader a possibility of fast identification of the spectral signature related to a particular type of DNA damage.