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

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 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...
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...
The Replisome03:01

The Replisome

DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with the...
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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Electroacoustic single-cell spectroscopy for morphological differentiation of red blood cells: An in silico feasibility study.

JASA express letters·2026
Same author

MDNA : a software module for DNA structure generation and analysis.

Nucleic acids research·2026
Same author

Snooping helices: The elastic path finding algorithm of growing hyphae.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

The hidden wheel-within.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

A kinetic proofreading argument to understand the role of H3K9 trimethylation in phase-separated chromatin states.

Biophysical journal·2026
Same author

A Self-Organized Liquid Reaction Container for Cellular Memory.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack
07:44

Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack

Published on: August 15, 2018

A DNA ring acting as a thermal ratchet.

Igor M Kulić1, Rochish Thaokar, Helmut Schiessel

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter : an Institute of Physics Journal
|June 22, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a novel rotary DNA nanomachine capable of continuous rotation at high frequencies (10^2–10^4 Hz). This DNA motor propels itself through fluids, offering a significant advancement in nanoscale machinery.

More Related Videos

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

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack
07:44

Design and Synthesis of a Reconfigurable DNA Accordion Rack

Published on: August 15, 2018

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

Area of Science:

  • Nanotechnology
  • Molecular Engineering
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Existing DNA nanomotors are slow and lack continuous rotation.
  • Development of efficient nanoscale machines is crucial for various applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a novel rotary DNA nanomachine with continuous rotation.
  • To detail the design and performance of this DNA motor.
  • To analyze the behavior of thermal ratchets.

Main Methods:

  • Design of a closed DNA ring with tunable elastic features.
  • External driving mechanism using periodic temperature changes.
  • Theoretical analysis of low- and high-frequency asymptotic behavior.

Main Results:

  • The proposed DNA nanomachine achieves continuous rotation at frequencies of 10^2–10^4 Hz.
  • The motor propels itself through fluid at speeds ranging from tens of nanometers to microns per second.
  • Derivation of general asymptotic behavior for thermal ratchets.

Conclusions:

  • The developed DNA nanomachine overcomes limitations of previous designs.
  • This continuous rotating DNA motor shows promise for advanced nanotechnology applications.
  • The theoretical framework provides insights into thermal ratchet dynamics.