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Updated: May 13, 2026

Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
Published on: April 12, 2019
Small DNA circles as probes of DNA topology
Andrew D Bates1, Agnes Noy, Michael M Piperakis
1Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, U.K.
Abstract:
Small DNA circles can occur in Nature, for example as protein-constrained loops, and can be synthesized by a number of methods. Such small circles provide tractable systems for the study of the structure, thermodynamics and molecular dynamics of closed-circular DNA. In the present article, we review the occurrence and synthesis of small DNA circles, and examine their utility in studying the properties of DNA and DNA-protein interactions. In particular, we highlight the analysis of small circles using atomistic simulations.
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