Proton-coupled electron transfer in guanine oxidation: effects of isotope, solvent, and chemical modification

The proton-coupled electron-transfer reactions of guanine and other modified purine nucleobases are investigated by electrochemistry and stopped-flow spectrophotometry. It is found that the slope, isotope effect, and number of protons involved in the reaction for guanine oxidation are the same for either duplex or single-stranded DNA.