Energy bands and electronic delocalization in the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA

The results of a CNDO/2 all-valence electron crystal orbital study are reported for the sugar-phosphate chain of DNA. The valence and conduction bandwidths are found to be large enough to make electronic delocalization through this backbone possible. Different mechanisms for charge carrier transport in DNA are compared on the basis of the electron and hole effective masses. Conduction along the backbone seems to be at least as probable as through the aperiodic system of the superimposed nucleotide bases.