Photoinduced charge-transfer fluorescence quenching of a fluorescent dye produces the nonemissive charge-separated state, and subsequent charge recombination makes the reaction reversible. While the information available from the photoinduced charge-transfer process provides the basis for monitoring the microenvironment around the fluorescent dyes and such monitoring is particularly important in live-cell imaging and DNA diagnosis, the information obtainable from the charge recombination process is usually overlooked. When looking at fluorescence emitted from each single fluorescent dye, photoinduced charge-transfer, charge-migration, and charge recombination cause a "blinking" of the fluorescence, in which the charge-recombination rate or the lifetime of the charge-separated state (τ) is supposed to be reflected in the duration of the off time during the single-molecule-level fluorescence measurement. Herein, based on our recently developed method for the direct observation of charge migration in DNA, we utilized DNA as a platform for spectroscopic investigations of charge-recombination dynamics for several fluorescent dyes: TAMRA, ATTO 655, and Alexa 532, which are used in single-molecule fluorescence measurements. Charge recombination dynamics were observed by transient absorption measurements, demonstrating that these fluorescent dyes can be used to monitor the charge-separation and charge-recombination events. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) of ATTO 655 modified DNA allowed the successful measurement of the charge-recombination dynamics in DNA at the single-molecule level. Utilizing the injected charge just like a pulse of sound, such as a "ping" in active sonar systems, information about the DNA sequence surrounding the fluorescent dye was read out by measuring the time it takes for the charge to return.

Charge-separation and charge-recombination dynamics and oxidative DNA degradation were investigated for DNA modified with a photosensitizer (Sens) naphthalimide (NI), naphthaldiimide (ND), or anthraquinone (AQ). In all three Sens-modified DNA systems, the formation of long-lived charge-separated states was observed in which the lifetime increased with increasing numbers of A-T base pairs between Sens and the neighboring G-C base pair. The lifetime of the charge-separated state correlated well with the DNA damage yield, indicating that the charge-separated state provides time for the irreversible DNA oxidative damage to occur. The quantum yield of DNA damage was the lowest for ND-modified DNA due to the slow reaction of ND radical anion with molecular oxygen; the process needed to preclude charge recombination. The AQ-modified DNA resulted in the highest charge separation and subsequent DNA damage yield, which would be partly explained by the formation of the spin-forbidden triplet radical ion pairs during charge separation.

The kinetics and efficiency of oxidative degradation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) in DNA during the photosensitized one-electron oxidation of DNA was investigated. The presence of 8-oxodGuo was shown to increase the lifetime of the charge-separated state in DNA by serving as a "hole sink" resulting in efficient and exclusive degradation.