Observation of excimer formation in the covalent adducts of 9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol with poly(dG-dC)

Abstract

The covalent binding of 9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol to alternating poly(dG–dC) results in extensive occurrence of excimers as shown by fluorescence spectroscopy; the origin is inferred to be close-lying pyrene chromophores bound to guanines in the minor groove of DNA.