Underwound DNA under tension: structure, elasticity, and sequence-dependent behaviors. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • DNA melting under torsion plays an important role in a wide variety of cellular processes. In the present Letter, we have investigated DNA melting at the single-molecule level using an angular optical trap. By directly measuring force, extension, torque, and angle of DNA, we determined the structural and elastic parameters of torsionally melted DNA. Our data reveal that under moderate forces, the melted DNA assumes a left-handed structure as opposed to an open bubble conformation and is highly torsionally compliant. We have also discovered that at low forces melted DNA properties are highly dependent on DNA sequence. These results provide a more comprehensive picture of the global DNA force-torque phase diagram.

publication date

  • September 1, 2011

Research

keywords

  • DNA
  • Elasticity

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3201814

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 80052387844

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.108102

PubMed ID

  • 21981534

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 107

issue

  • 10