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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
Published on: October 25, 2017
The size of knots in polymers
Enzo Orlandini1, Attilio L Stella, Carlo Vanderzande
1Dipartimento di Fisica and CNR-INFM, Università di Padova, I-35131, Padova, Italy.
Abstract:
Circular DNA in viruses and bacteria is often knotted. While mathematically problematic, the determination of the knot size is crucial for the study of the physical and biological behaviour of long macromolecules. Here, we review work on the size distribution of these knots under equilibrium conditions. We discuss knot localization in good and poor solvents, or in polymers that are adsorbed on a surface. We also discuss recent evidence that knot size is a crucial quantity in relaxation processes of knotted polymers.
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