Entropy loss in long-distance DNA looping
Statistical Mechanics
2009-11-07 v1 Soft Condensed Matter
q-bio
Abstract
The entropy loss due to the formation of one or multiple loops in circular and linear DNA chains is calculated from a scaling approach in the limit of long chain segments. The analytical results allow to obtain a fast estimate for the entropy loss for a given configuration. Numerical values obtained for some examples suggest that the entropy loss encountered in loop closure in typical genetic switches may become a relevant factor which has to be overcome by the released bond energy between the looping contact sites.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0211468,
title = {Entropy loss in long-distance DNA looping},
author = {Andreas Hanke and Ralf Metzler},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0211468},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
7 pages, 3 figures