Effect of Oxidative Damage on Charge and Spin Transport in DNA

A Hall device was used for measuring spin polarization on electrons that are either reorganized within the molecules or transmitted through the self-assembled monolayers of DNA adsorbed on the device surface. We were able to observe spin-dependent charge polarization and charge transport through double-stranded DNA of various lengths and through double-stranded DNA containing oxidative damage. We found enhancement in the spin-dependent transport through oxidatively damaged DNA. This phenomenon can be rationalized either by assuming that the damaged DNA is characterized by a higher barrier for conduction or by charge transfer through the DNA being conducted through at least two channels, one involves the bases and is highly conductive but less spin selective, while the other pathway is mainly through the ribophosphate backbone and it is the minor one in terms of charge transmission efficiency, but it is highly spin selective.