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

Nucleic Acid Structure01:25

Nucleic Acid Structure

8.1K
The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms  a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA...
8.1K
Phosphodiester Linkages01:01

Phosphodiester Linkages

108.8K
Overview
Phosphodiester bond forms when a phosphoric acid molecule (H3PO4) links with two hydroxyl groups (–OH) of two other molecules, forming two ester bonds. Two water molecules are released in this process. The phosphodiester bond is commonly found in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and plays a critical role in their structure and function.
Phosphodiester Bonds Link Nucleotides Together
DNA and RNA are polynucleotides or long chains of nucleotides that are linked together. A nucleotide is...
108.8K
Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins01:03

Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins

16.3K
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...
16.3K
Fixing Double-strand Breaks02:04

Fixing Double-strand Breaks

14.0K
The double-stranded structure of DNA has two major advantages. First, it serves as a safe repository of genetic information where one strand serves as the back-up in case the other strand is damaged. Second, the double-helical structure can be wrapped around proteins called histones to form nucleosomes, which can then be tightly wound to form chromosomes. This way, DNA chains up to 2 inches long can be contained within microscopic structures in a cell. A double-stranded break not only damages...
14.0K
Fixing Double-strand Breaks02:04

Fixing Double-strand Breaks

4.1K
4.1K
Lagging Strand Synthesis01:59

Lagging Strand Synthesis

15.7K
15.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Molecular structure, binding, and disorder in TDBC-Ag plexcitonic assemblies.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

Inverted metal-free active template synthesis of rotaxanes via axle‑mediated macrocyclization.

Nature chemistry·2026
Same author

Trefoil polymers from a knotted synthon.

Nature chemistry·2026
Same author

Conformationally Switchable Molecular Trefoil Knot Assembled From 2,6-Bis(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine (btp) Building Blocks.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Coordination Chemistry of a Star of David [2]Catenand.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Morphine Plus Placebo vs Morphine Plus Acetaminophen for Acute Pain in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA network open·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

15.3K

Tying different knots in a molecular strand.

David A Leigh1,2, Fredrik Schaufelberger3, Lucian Pirvu3

  • 1School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. david.leigh@manchester.ac.uk.

Nature
|August 28, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a new method to tie synthetic molecular strands into various knots using metal ions. This breakthrough allows for controlled knot tying, enabling new possibilities in nanoscale material design.

More Related Videos

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
08:00

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

7.2K
Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
09:32

Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules

Published on: April 12, 2019

6.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

15.3K
DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
08:00

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

7.2K
Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules
09:32

Stable DNA Motifs, 1D and 2D Nanostructures Constructed from Small Circular DNA Molecules

Published on: April 12, 2019

6.9K

Area of Science:

  • Supramolecular Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Knots are essential in nature (DNA, proteins) and applications (ropes, polymers).
  • Existing methods for synthetic molecular knots are limited, often producing only one topology.
  • Controlling knot topology in synthetic nanoscale strands is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a versatile method for synthesizing multiple molecular knot topologies from a single strand.
  • To investigate the role of metal ion coordination in directing molecular folding and knot formation.
  • To explore how different knot topologies influence the chemical properties of molecular strands.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesized an artificial molecular strand with interspersed coordination sites for metal ions.
  • Utilized transition-metal and lanthanide ions to guide chain folding and entanglements.
  • Characterized the resulting molecular knots (unknot, trefoil, three-twist) using structural and chemical analyses.

Main Results:

  • Successfully prepared three distinct knot topoisomers (01, 31, 52) from the same molecular strand.
  • Demonstrated metal-ion-induced folding with stereoinduction, influencing knot handedness.
  • Observed metal-ion-mediated translocation of entanglement and topology-dependent metal ion binding.

Conclusions:

  • Metal ion coordination offers a powerful strategy for controlled synthesis of diverse molecular knots.
  • Knot topology significantly impacts molecular properties, such as metal ion binding capacity.
  • This approach opens new avenues for designing functional supramolecular structures and polymers.