Extracting DNA twist rigidity from experimental supercoiling data

We use an elastic rod model with contact to study the extension versus rotation diagrams of single supercoiled DNA molecules. We reproduce quantitatively the supercoiling response of overtwisted DNA and, using experimental data, we obtain an estimate of the effective supercoiling radius and of the t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysical review letters Vol. 93; no. 19; p. 198107
Main Author Neukirch, Sébastien
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 05.11.2004
Subjects
DNA - chemistry
DNA, Superhelical - chemistry
Elasticity
Models, Chemical
Nucleic Acid Conformation
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Summary:We use an elastic rod model with contact to study the extension versus rotation diagrams of single supercoiled DNA molecules. We reproduce quantitatively the supercoiling response of overtwisted DNA and, using experimental data, we obtain an estimate of the effective supercoiling radius and of the twist rigidity of B-DNA. We find that the twist rigidity of DNA seems to vary widely with the nature and concentration of the salt buffer in which it is immersed.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/physrevlett.93.198107