Related papers: Twisting short dsDNA with applied tension
Cyclization of DNA with sticky ends is commonly used to construct DNA minicircles and to measure DNA bendability. The cyclization probability of short DNA (< 150 bp) has a strong length dependence, but how it depends on the rotational…
Although RNAs play many cellular functions little is known about the dynamics and thermodynamics of these molecules. In principle, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations can investigate these issues, but with current computer facilities,…
DNA supercoiling, the under or overwinding of DNA, is a key physical mechanism both participating to compaction of bacterial genomes and making genomic sequences adopt various structural forms. DNA supercoiling may lead to the formation of…
Extreme deformations of the DNA double helix attracted a lot of attention during the past decades. Particularly, the determination of the persistence length of DNA with extreme local disruptions, or kinks, has become a crucial problem in…
Conformational change of a DNA molecule is frequently observed in multiple biological processes and has been modelled using a chain of strongly coupled oscillators with a nonlinear bistable potential. While the mechanism and properties of…
Double-stranded DNA `overstretches' at a pulling force of about 65 pN, increasing in length by a factor of 1.7. The nature of the overstretched state is unknown, despite its considerable importance for DNA's biological function and…
The thermodynamical stability of a set of circular double helical molecules is analyzed by path integral techniques. The minicircles differ only in \textit{i)} the radius and \textit{ii)} the number of base pairs ($N$) arranged along the…
We consider an elastic rod model for twisted DNA in the plectonemic regime. The molecule is treated as an impenetrable tube with an effective, adjustable radius. The model is solved analytically and we derive formulas for the contact…
In order to interpret recent experimental studies of the dependence of conductance of ds-DNA as the DNA is pulled from the 3'end1-3'end2 ends, which find a sharp conductance jump for a very short (4.5 %) stretching length, we carried out…
We present a study on the role of defects on the stability of short DNA molecules. We consider short DNA molecules (16 base pairs) and investigate the thermal as well as mechanical denaturation of these molecules in the presence of defects…
We review statistical-mechanical theories of single-molecule micromanipulation experiments on nucleic acids. First, models for describing polymer elasticity are introduced. We then review how these models are used to interpret…
Conventional X-ray methods use incoming plane waves and result in discrete diffraction patterns when scattered at crystals. Here we find, by a systematic method, incoming waveforms which exhibit discrete diffraction patterns when scattered…
The two strands of the DNA double helix can be `unzipped' by application of 15 pN force. We analyze the dynamics of unzipping and rezipping, for the case where the molecule ends are separated and re-approached at constant velocity. For…
The study of configurational parameters of deformed DNA is a relevant problem in research of such important biological process as double helix compactization in cell. The deformations accompanied with local disruptions of the regular…
We report model calculations on DNA single strands which describe the equilibrium dynamics and kinetics of hairpin formation and melting. Modeling is at the level of single bases. Strand rigidity is described in terms of simple polymer…
We study the nonlinear dynamics of a deformed Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecular chain which is governed by a perturbed sine-Gordon equation coupled with a linear wave equation representing the lattice deformation. The DNA chain…
By combining analytical and numerical calculations, we investigate the minimal-energy shape of short DNA loops of approximately $100$ base pairs (bp). We show that in these loops the excess twist density oscillates as a response to an…
This paper presents a numerical study of the dynamics of DNA double helix breakage under the influence of external forces using the Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois (PBD) model. The PBD model represents DNA as a chain of nonlinearly coupled…
We study the elastic response of a worm-like polymer chain with reversible kink-like structural defects. This is a generic model for (a) the double-stranded DNA with sharp bends induced by binding of certain proteins, and (b) effects of…
A simple model of DNA based on two interacting polymers has been used to study the unzipping of a double stranded DNA subjected to a periodic force. We propose a dynamical transition, where without changing the physiological condition, it…