Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks02:37

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...
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...
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...
The DNA Replication Fork01:02

The DNA Replication Fork

An organism’s genome needs to be duplicated in an efficient and error-free manner for its growth and survival. The replication fork is a Y-shaped active region where two strands of DNA are separated and replicated continuously. The coupling of DNA unzipping and complementary strand synthesis is a characteristic feature of a replication fork.   Organisms with small circular DNA, such as E. coli, often have a single origin of replication; therefore, they have only two replication forks, one in...
DNA Helicases00:55

DNA Helicases

DNA unwinding helicase enzymes are a type of motor protein. Motor proteins can translocate along filaments or polymers using energy generated from ATP hydrolysis. Helicases are involved in all the important cellular processes where DNA unwinding is required, such as DNA replication, repair, recombination, and transcription. They are present in all living organisms, but vary in their structure, function, and mechanism of action. For example, in prokaryotes, DnaB helicase binds and translocates...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cell-Extracellular Matrix Feedback Results in Spontaneous Cell Polarization and Heterogeneous Remodeling in 3D Isotropic and Aligned Discrete-Fiber Models of Cell-Mediated Remodeling.

Cellular and molecular bioengineering·2026
Same author

Helicity of a confined bottlebrush ring polymer.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

Correction to "Critical Micelle Concentration of Multiblock Copolymers in Immiscible Homopolymer Blends".

ACS macro letters·2026
Same author

Critical Micelle Concentration of Multiblock Copolymers in Immiscible Homopolymer Blends.

ACS macro letters·2026
Same author

Interfacial Failure in Graft Block Copolymer-Reinforced Polymer Blends.

ACS macro letters·2025
Same author

Erratum: "Equilibrium phase behavior of gyroid-forming diblock polymer thin films" [J. Chem. Phys. 161, 084902 (2024)].

The Journal of chemical physics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation
09:26

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation

Published on: December 29, 2021

DNA unhooking from a single post as a deterministic process: insights from translocation modeling.

Nabil Laachi1, Jaeseol Cho, Kevin D Dorfman

  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 421 Washington Ave. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|April 28, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Stochastic methods efficiently model DNA chain unhooking from microposts. For experimental conditions, the unhooking time is largely deterministic, supporting convective transport models.

More Related Videos

Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution
10:27

Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution

Published on: July 8, 2019

Structure-Based Simulation and Sampling of Transcription Factor Protein Movements along DNA from Atomic-Scale Stepping to Coarse-Grained Diffusion
09:17

Structure-Based Simulation and Sampling of Transcription Factor Protein Movements along DNA from Atomic-Scale Stepping to Coarse-Grained Diffusion

Published on: March 1, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 23, 2026

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation
09:26

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation

Published on: December 29, 2021

Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution
10:27

Dual DNA Rulers to Study the Mechanism of Ribosome Translocation with Single-Nucleotide Resolution

Published on: July 8, 2019

Structure-Based Simulation and Sampling of Transcription Factor Protein Movements along DNA from Atomic-Scale Stepping to Coarse-Grained Diffusion
09:17

Structure-Based Simulation and Sampling of Transcription Factor Protein Movements along DNA from Atomic-Scale Stepping to Coarse-Grained Diffusion

Published on: March 1, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Polymer Physics
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • DNA translocation through nanopores is a key process in nanotechnology.
  • Understanding DNA chain dynamics, like unhooking from obstacles, is crucial for controlling transport.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the unhooking dynamics of a long DNA chain from a stationary micropost.
  • To determine the probability distribution and moments of the unhooking time using stochastic methods.

Main Methods:

  • Application of stochastic methods originally developed for DNA translocation through nanopores.
  • Comparison of results with computationally intensive Brownian dynamics simulations.

Main Results:

  • Stochastic methods provide efficient and accurate distributions and moments for unhooking time.
  • The unhooking process is found to be effectively deterministic under typical experimental conditions.
  • Diffusive fluctuations have a negligible impact on the first and second moments of unhooking time.

Conclusions:

  • Stochastic modeling offers a computationally efficient alternative to Brownian dynamics for DNA unhooking studies.
  • The deterministic nature of unhooking supports the use of continuous-time random-walk models for DNA transport processes.