Related papers: DNA nanotweezers studied with a coarse-grained mod…
In this paper, we present a coarse-grained model of DNA based on the soft ellipsoid contact potential (ECP) to evaluate the base pairing interaction properly. We extend the ellipsoid contact like potential model (ECP), suitably modified and…
There is now a certain consensus that Transcription Factors (TFs) reach their target sites, where they regulate gene transcription, via a mechanism dubbed facilitated diffusion (FD). In FD, the TF cycles between events of 3D-diffusion in…
DNA nanotechnology promises to provide controllable self-assembly on the nanoscale, allowing for the design of static structures, dynamic machines and computational architectures. In this article I review the state-of-the art of DNA…
Nucleic acid sensing is crucial for advancing diagnostics, therapeutic monitoring and molecu-lar biology research, by enabling the precise identification of DNA and RNA interactions. Here, we present an innovative sensing platform based on…
We use the oxDNA coarse-grained model to provide a detailed characterization of the fundamental structural properties of DNA origamis, focussing on archetypal 2D and 3D origamis. The model reproduces well the characteristic pattern of helix…
We review the basic concepts and tools for mechanically unzipping RNA hairpins using force spectroscopy. By pulling apart the ends of an RNA molecule using optical tweezers, it is possible to measure the folding free energy at varying…
Short DNA linkers are increasingly being exploited for driving specific self-assembly of Brownian objects. DNA-functionalised colloids can assemble into ordered or amorphous materials with tailored morphology. Recently, the same approach…
In this paper we consider a physical system in which two DNA molecules braid about each other. The distance between the two molecular ends, on either side of the braid, is held at a distance much larger than supercoiling radius of the…
We study the elastic behaviour of a supercoiled DNA molecule. The simplest model is that of a rod like chain, involving two elastic constants, the bending and the twist rigidities. We show that this model is singular and needs a small…
Simulating large proteins using traditional molecular dynamics (MD) is computationally demanding. To address this challenge, we propose a novel tree-structured coarse-grained model that efficiently captures protein dynamics. By leveraging a…
It is well-established that many physical properties of DNA at sufficiently long length scales can be understood by means of simple polymer models. One of the most widely used elasticity models for DNA is the twistable worm-like chain…
We examine the crystallization dynamics of nanoparticles reversibly tethered by DNA hybridization. We show that the crystallization happens readily only in a narrow temperature "slot," and always proceeds via a two-step process, mediated by…
We call \textit{monomer} a B-DNA base pair and study, analytically and numerically, electron or hole oscillations in \textit{monomers}, \textit{dimers} and \textit{trimers}. We employ two Tight Binding (TB) approaches: (I) at the base-pair…
DNA and Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have unique physical, mechanical and electronic properties that make them revolutionary materials for advances in technology. In state-of-the-art applications, these physical properties can be exploited to…
The flexibility of short DNA fragments is studied by a Hamiltonian model which treats the inter-strand and intra-strand forces at the level of the base pair. The elastic response of a set of homogeneous helices to externally applied forces…
Single molecule studies, at constant force, of the separation of double-stranded DNA into two separated single strands may provide information relevant to the dynamics of DNA replication. At constant applied force, theory predicts that the…
Motivated by the wide ranging experimental results on the conductivity of DNA, we have investigated extraordinary configurations and chemical environments in which DNA might become a true molecular wire, perticularly from enhanced…
Nanoscale molecular systems such as DNA require an atomistic quantum treatment to accurately capture their electrical properties, owing to their small dimensions. A central challenge in modeling transport through these systems is the…
In analogy with classic rigidity problems of networks and frames, the elastic properties of hydrogels made of DNA nanostars (DNAns) are expected to strongly depend on the precise geometry of their building blocks. However, it is currently…
We study the coupled dynamics of primary and secondary structure formation (i.e. slow genetic sequence selection and fast folding) in the context of a solvable microscopic model that includes both short-range steric forces and and…