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DNA Helicases

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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...

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Terahertz Wave Accelerates DNA Unwinding: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

Kaijie Wu^1,2, Chonghai Qi^3,4, Zhi Zhu⁵

¹Key Laboratory of Physical Electronics and Devices of the Ministry of Education, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shanxi 710049, China.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

|August 14, 2020

Summary

Terahertz waves can rapidly unwind DNA duplexes, speeding up genetic information detection. This nonthermal method enhances DNA unwinding by 20 times, with potential applications in biomedicine and therapy.

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Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Biophysics
Terahertz Science

Background:

DNA unwinding is fundamental for genetic processes like duplication and editing.
Accelerating DNA unwinding is key for rapid genetic information detection.
Current methods may have limitations in speed and non-thermal application.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effect of terahertz (THz) stimulus on DNA duplex unwinding.
To determine if THz radiation can efficiently and non-thermally accelerate DNA unwinding.
To elucidate the mechanism behind THz-induced DNA unwinding.

Main Methods:

Experimentation on six-base-pair DNA duplexes.
Application of a terahertz stimulus at 44.0 THz.
Analysis of unwinding speed and temperature changes.
Investigation of the resonance mechanism between THz waves and DNA base pair vibrations.

Main Results:

Terahertz stimulus significantly accelerated DNA duplex unwinding by at least 20 times.
The unwinding process occurred at a reduced temperature, indicating a nonthermal effect.
The mechanism involves resonance between the THz frequency and purine base vibrations, leading to hydrogen bond breakage.

Conclusions:

Terahertz radiation offers an efficient, nonthermal, and long-range method to accelerate DNA unwinding.
This finding has significant implications for rapid nucleic acid detection.
Potential applications include advanced biomedicine and therapeutic interventions.