Charge transport in DNA and RNA molecules: kinetic modeling and experimental Bioelectrochemistry

• Grant number: 13/10516-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: January 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Frank Nelson Crespilho
• Grantee: Frank Nelson Crespilho
• Host Investigator: Jacqueline K. Barton
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: California Institute of Technology, United States

Abstract

The first evidence of charge transfer (CT) mediated by DNA molecules was observed experimentally in 1993, based on oxidative processes, in which a metal complex has been linked to the DNA molecule through one of their bases. Since then, the mechanisms of CT in DNA and RNA have been investigated by several research groups. Based on its structure, DNA holds great promise as a medium for charge transport (CT) in nanoscale electronic and biomedical devices due to its stability and structural programmability. Already with the RNA, after discovering that it has catalytic activity, focus has been given to the process of gene regulation, fitting highlight interfering RNAs (RNAi or siRNA) and microRNAs (miRNA). Furthermore, it is envisaged that the catalytic activity of the RNA can be modulated to generate signals in bioelectronics devices, opening a new avenue for obtaining bioelectrodes for in vivo diagnosis. Thus, this research project aims to contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms of CT in DNA and RNA molecules, with a view to application in electronic biodevices. Metal complexes attached to DNA and RNA structure will be evaluated before and after the hybridization process. Also, the study of the electrocatalytic RNA as a means of amplifying the electrochemical signal will carried out. Finally, it is intended to model the kinetics of CT and apply the theory of Marcus-Hush compared to the Butler-Volmer approach to heterogeneous charge transfer electrode-biomolecules. The results of a numerical simulation will be compared with the experimental results. It is expected that with different electrode types and configurations, the bioelectrocatalytic responses can be influenced and thus valuable information about the mechanisms of CT in DNA and RNA can be obtained. This project will be conducted in the Research Group of Professor Jacqueline Barton at Caltech (California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BARTELS, PHILLIP L.; ZHOU, ANDY; ARNOLD, ANNA R.; NUNEZ, NICOLE N.; CRESPILHO, FRANK N.; DAVID, SHEILA S.; BARTON, JACQUELINE K.. Electrochemistry of the [4Fe4S] Cluster in Base Excision Repair Proteins: Tuning the Redox Potential with DNA. Langmuir, v. 33, n. 10, p. 2523-2530, MAR 17 2017. (13/10516-4)