Electron transfer through DNA and peptides Original Research Article

Electrons can migrate through DNA and peptides over very long distances in a multistep hopping process. Stepping stones, which carry the charges for a short time, are the nucleotide bases of DNA or the aromatic side chains of amino acids in peptides. Chemical reactions of these charged intermediates lead to the formation but also to the repair of DNA lesions. In enzymes, long distance electron transfer can activate the binding pocket, and initiates the chemical transformation of the substrate.