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Related Concept Videos

Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins01:03

Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins

For successful DNA replication, the unwinding of double-stranded DNA must be accompanied by stabilization and protection of the separated single strands of the DNA. This crucial task is performed by single-strand DNA-binding (SSB) proteins. They bind to the DNA in a sequence-independent manner, which means that the nitrogenous bases of the DNA need not be present in a specific order for binding of SSB proteins to it. The binding of SSB proteins straightens single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and makes...
Hooke's Law01:26

Hooke's Law

Hooke's law, a pivotal principle in material science, establishes that the strain a material undergoes is directly proportional to the applied stress, defined by a factor called the modulus of elasticity or Young's modulus.
Fixing Double-strand Breaks02:04

Fixing Double-strand Breaks

The double-stranded structure of DNA has two major advantages. First, it serves as a safe repository of genetic information where one strand serves as the back-up in case the other strand is damaged. Second, the double-helical structure can be wrapped around proteins called histones to form nucleosomes, which can then be tightly wound to form chromosomes. This way, DNA chains up to 2 inches long can be contained within microscopic structures in a cell. A double-stranded break not only damages...
DNA as a Genetic Template02:05

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...
DNA Topoisomerases02:02

DNA Topoisomerases

Topoisomerases are enzymes that relax overwound DNA molecules during various cell processes, including DNA replication and transcription. These enzymes regulate positive and negative DNA supercoiling without changing the nucleotide sequence. DNA overwinding in a clockwise direction results in positively supercoiled DNA, whereas underwinding in a counterclockwise direction produces negatively supercoiled DNA.
Types and Mechanism of action
Topoisomerases are divided into two main types.  Type I...
Elasticity01:12

Elasticity

Elasticity is the ability of an object to withstand the effects of distortion and to return to its original size and shape once the forces causing deformation are removed. When an elastic material deforms under the action of an external force, it experiences internal resistance to the deformation. However, if no external force is applied, it returns to its original state.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Stretching Short Sequences of DNA with Constant Force Axial Optical Tweezers
08:48

Stretching Short Sequences of DNA with Constant Force Axial Optical Tweezers

Published on: October 13, 2011

Nonlinear low-force elasticity of single-stranded DNA molecules.

O A Saleh1, D B McIntosh, P Pincus

  • 1Materials Department and BMSE Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA. saleh@engineering.ucsb.edu

Physical Review Letters
|March 5, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Single-molecule DNA elasticity measurements reveal a nonlinear force-extension relationship, supporting tensile blob models. DNA

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Studying DNA Looping by Single-Molecule FRET
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Studying DNA Looping by Single-Molecule FRET

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DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Stretching Short Sequences of DNA with Constant Force Axial Optical Tweezers
08:48

Stretching Short Sequences of DNA with Constant Force Axial Optical Tweezers

Published on: October 13, 2011

Studying DNA Looping by Single-Molecule FRET
11:27

Studying DNA Looping by Single-Molecule FRET

Published on: June 28, 2014

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
08:00

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Physics
  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Understanding polymer elasticity is crucial for molecular biology and materials science.
  • Single-molecule experiments provide high-resolution data on polymer behavior under force.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reconcile single-molecule force-extension data of denatured DNA with existing polymer elasticity theories.
  • To investigate the salt dependence of DNA elasticity and its implications for theoretical models.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized single-molecule force-extension measurements on denatured single-stranded DNA.
  • Analyzed the salt dependence of the force-extension data.
  • Applied scaling theories and polymer elasticity models, including the wormlike chain model.

Main Results:

  • Observed a nonlinear power-law relationship between force and extension in denatured DNA, consistent with tensile blob models.
  • Found that the Kuhn length of the polymer is proportional to the Debye length, challenging the Odijk-Skolnick-Fixman theory.
  • Identified a Theta condition for the polymer, where the wormlike chain model accurately describes elasticity.

Conclusions:

  • The study reconciles experimental DNA elasticity data with theoretical models, highlighting the importance of tensile blob regimes.
  • The findings on salt dependence provide new insights into polymer-ion interactions and refine existing theories.
  • The wormlike chain model is validated as a suitable descriptor for DNA elasticity under specific conditions.