DNA Photodamage and Repair: Computational Photobiology in Action

DNA is constantly exposed to external and metabolic stress agents, including the solar radiation and in particular the UV portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such source of stress can induce photochemical modification of the structure of DNA and of its basic components, i.e. the nucleobases. DNA lesions may ultimately lead to genomic instability, mutations, and even to carcinogenesis. Hence, cells dispose of complex biochemical repair pathways in charge of remove the DNA lesions and avoid their accumulation. In this Chapter, we present the complexity of the DNA lesion chemical and structural space, also complicated by the intricate coupling with the biological relevant signaling pathways. Through some relevant examples, we will show how proper multiscale simulation protocols can provide a unified picture of the complex phenomena and hence answer biological relevant questions, paving the way to a veritable computational photobiology approach.