Damage of DNA by Low Energy Electrons (< 3 eV)

Recent experiments on low energy electron attachment to DNA and its components in the condensed phase and in the gas phase are reviewed and analysed. From different condensed phase experiments the sensitivity of DNA towards low energy electrons is well documented and strand breaks in DNA are observed at subexcitation energies (< 3 eV) and also in ultrafast electron transfer experiments involving electrons in presolvated states. Gas phase experiments indicate that all building blocks of DNA (the nucleobases, the sugar and the phosphate moiety) undergo resonant dissociative electron attachment (DEA) in the subexcitation regime which may ultimately lead to strand breaks. From very recent gas phase experiments on an entire nucleotide it can be concluded that most strand breaks result from direct electron attachment to the DNA backbone, but also initial electron capture by the nucleobase following electron transfer to the backbone contributes.