Chromatin is the complex of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with
proteins that exists in eukaryotic cell nuclei. Chromatin was
extracted from livers of Wistar rats and subjected to a 248-nm
excimer laser radiation, in doses of 0.5–3 MJ/m2.
An UV excimer laser Iofan 1701, with 40-mJ dose/pulse and frequency
of 30 Hz was used. The radiolysis of chromatin was analyzed by (1)
1H-NMR spectroscopy, (2) steady-state fluorescence, (3)
time-resolved fluorescence, and (4) fluorescence resonance energy
transfer (FRET) methods. The laser action on chromatin determines
bigger values of the transverse relaxation time (T2),
which indicates less bound water in the chromatin structure, therefore
a more injured one. The chromatin intrinsic fluorescence decreases
on laser action, proving the destruction of the chromatin protein
structure. By the time-resolved fluorescence we established
that the relative contribution of the excited state lifetime
of bound ethidium bromide to chromatin DNA diminishes with the
laser dose. This denotes single- and double-strand breaks produced
in DNA structure. By the FRET method, the energy transfer
efficiency and the distance between dansyl chloride and acridine
orange coupled at chromatin were determined. The distance increases
with laser action. The determination of the chromatin structure
modification in an excimer laser field can be of real interest
in medical applications.