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Related Concept Videos

Tension01:10

Tension

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Tension is a force along the length of a medium, in particular, a force carried by a flexible medium, such as a rope or cable. The word "tension" comes from Latin, meaning "to stretch". Not coincidentally, the flexible cords that carry muscle forces to other parts of the body are called tendons. Any flexible connector, such as a string, rope, chain, wire, or cable, can exert pull only parallel to its length; so, a force carried by a flexible connector is a tension with a...
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The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
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Surface tension is a fundamental property of fluids, occurring at the boundary between a liquid and a gas or between two immiscible liquids. This phenomenon arises from the cohesive forces between molecules at the fluid's surface, creating an effect similar to a stretched elastic membrane. Inside each fluid, molecules are equally attracted in all directions by neighboring molecules, but surface molecules experience a net inward force, resulting in surface tension.
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As a system undergoes a change, its internal energy can change, and energy can be transferred from the system to the surroundings, or from the surroundings to the system.
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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.
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DNA Tension Probes to Map the Transient Piconewton Receptor Forces by Immune Cells
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Quantifying Local Molecular Tension Using Intercalated DNA Fluorescence.

Graeme A King1, Andreas S Biebricher1, Iddo Heller1

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, LaserLaB Amsterdam , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1081 , 1081 HV Amsterdam , The Netherlands.

Nano Letters
|February 24, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a new DNA fluorescence method to measure molecular forces. This technique quantifies tension in biological nanostructures with high precision using standard equipment, enabling new insights into biomolecular mechanics.

Keywords:
DNAfluorescence microscopyforce sensorintercalatorsmolecular tension

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Measuring forces in biological nanostructures like DNA and proteins is crucial for understanding biomolecular systems.
  • Existing force detection methods often require specialized and costly instrumentation.
  • There is a need for versatile, accessible techniques to quantify mechanical forces at the molecular level.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a novel and versatile method for quantifying tension in molecular systems in real time.
  • To demonstrate a technique using intercalated DNA fluorescence for local force measurements.
  • To enable precise force quantification in various biomolecular assays compatible with fluorescence microscopy.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized intercalated DNA fluorescence to report tension in molecular systems.
  • Employed commercially available intercalating dyes and a general-purpose fluorescence microscope.
  • Developed a method capable of measuring forces in the range of approximately 0.5-65 pN with 1-3 pN resolution.

Main Results:

  • Successfully quantified double-stranded (ds)DNA tension in single-molecule assays.
  • Demonstrated the ability to measure local force distribution within biomolecular structures.
  • Revealed transient DNA-DNA interactions in stretched and entwined DNA molecules.

Conclusions:

  • The developed DNA fluorescence method offers a broadly applicable tool for studying DNA mechanics and DNA-protein interactions.
  • This technique provides a unique opportunity to analyze force distribution within biomolecular structures.
  • The method has potential applications in protein unfolding, chromosome mechanics, cell motility, and DNA nanomachines.