Development of donor–acceptor modified DNA hairpins for the investigation of charge hopping kinetics in DNA

Investigation of hole or excess electron hopping in DNA is mostly performed based on yield studies, in which an injector modified DNA duplex is irradiated to continuously inject either holes or electrons into the duplex. Observed is a chemical reaction of a ʹprobeʹ molecule, which can be either one of the two purine bases or a different trap molecule positioned at various distances. The next step in the field will be the direct time resolution of the hole or electron transfer kinetics in DNA. Herein we describe the development of defined donor–DNA–acceptor systems, with properties that may allow time resolved electron and hole transfer studies in stably folded DNA structures.