Related papers: What do we know about DNA mechanics so far?
DNA is structurally and mechanically altered by the binding of intercalator molecules. Intercalation strongly affects the force-extension behavior of DNA, in particular the overstretching transition. We present a statistical model that…
The subject of this report is the dynamics of elastic system in conjunction with hydrogen bonds of the DNA. We draw attention to the draw-back of the familiar rod model of the DNA, and make a case of constructing models that could…
A double stranded DNA molecule under the stress of a pulling force acting on the strand terminals exhibits a partially denatured structure or can be completely unzipped depending the magnitude of the pulling force. A scaling argument for…
RNA polymerase (RNAP) is a mobile molecular workshop that polymerizes a RNA molecule by adding monomeric subunits one by one, while moving step by step on the DNA template itself. Here we develop a theoretical model by incorporating the…
With the continued improvement of sequencing technologies, the prospect of genome-based medicine is now at the forefront of scientific research. To realize this potential, however, we need a revolutionary sequencing method for the…
DNA flexibility is a key determinant of biological function, from nucleosome positioning to transcriptional regulation, motivating a direct measurement of the bend-torque response of individual DNA molecules. In this work, DNA bending is…
In living systems, DNA undergoes continuous and rhythmic mechanical remodeling through condensation, looping, and disentangling to regulate gene expression, segregate chromosomes, and guide morphogenesis. Here, we demonstrate a purely…
The conjunction of insights from structural biology, solution biochemistry, genetics and single molecule biophysics has provided a renewed impetus for the construction of quantitative models of biological processes. One area that has been a…
The behavior of long DNA molecules in a cell-sized confined space was investigated. We prepared water-in-oil droplets covered by phospholipids, which mimic the inner space of a cell, following the encapsulation of DNA molecules with…
It is well known that transcription can induce torsional stress in DNA, affecting the activity of nearby genes or even inducing structural transitions in the DNA duplex. It has long been assumed that the generation of significant torsional…
The transport of DNA polymers through nanoscale pores is central to many biological processes, from bacterial gene exchange to viral infection. In single-molecule nanopore sensing, the detection of nucleic acid and protein analytes relies…
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…
Polymer translocation through a nanopore in a membrane investigated theoretically. Recent experiments on voltage-driven DNA and RNA translocations through a nanopore indicate that the size and geometry of the pore are important factors in…
The functioning of double-stranded (ds) nucleic acids (NAs) in cellular processes is strongly mediated by their elastic response. These processes involve proteins that interact with dsDNA or dsRNA and distort their structures. The…
The yearly global production of data is growing exponentially, outpacing the capacity of existing storage media, such as tape and disk, and surpassing our ability to store it. DNA storage - the representation of arbitrary information as…
This contribution focuses on the fascinating RNA molecule, its sequence-dependent folding driven by base-pairing interactions, the interplay between these interactions and natural evolution, and its multiple regulatory roles. The four of us…
DNA denaturation has long been a subject of intense study due to its relationship to DNA transcription and its fundamental importance as a nonlinear, structural transition. Many aspects of this phenomenon, however, remain poorly understood.…
Positioning of nucleosomes along eukaryotic genomes plays an important role in their organization and regulation. There are many different factors affecting the location of nucleosomes. Some can be viewed as preferential binding of a single…
Many aspects of the study of protein folding and dynamics have been affected by the recent advances in machine learning. Methods for the prediction of protein structures from their sequences are now heavily based on machine learning tools.…
Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the equilibrium distribution of monovalent ions in a nanopore connecting two water reservoirs separated by a membrane, both for the empty pore and that with a single stranded DNA molecule…