Nucleic acid charge transfer: Black, white and gray

Theoretical studies of charge transport in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and peptide nucleic acid (PNA) indicate that structure and dynamics modulate the charge transfer rates, and that different members of a structural ensemble support different charge transport mechanisms. Here, we review the influences of nucleobase geometry, electronic structure, solvent environment, and thermal conformational fluctuations on the charge transfer mechanism. We describe an emerging framework for understanding the diversity of charge transport mechanisms seen in nucleic acids.