Spectroscopic probes have become powerful tools in analysing the correlation between structure and function of biological macromolecules. Though these spectral methods cannot give as circumstantial information about the anatomy of a biological structure as, for example, X-ray diffraction they can provide information on physical properties at defined loci in a macromolecule which are not accessible by other techniques. Most important, spectroscopic studies have provided means to study the dynamics of structural changes and interactions in time domains spanning from nanoseconds and less up to infinite time.

The compound 5-bromouracil (BrU) may be incorporated into DNA in place of its analog thymine. This review is concerned with the photochemical lesions produced by the action of ultraviolet light on such BrU-DNA, and consequent biological effects of such lesions.