Conformation of circular DNA in two dimensions

Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Oct 3;101(14):148103. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.148103. Epub 2008 Oct 2.

Abstract

The conformation of circular DNA molecules of various lengths adsorbed in a 2D conformation on a mica surface is studied. The results confirm the conjecture that the critical exponent nu is topologically invariant and equal to the self-avoiding walk value (in the present case nu=3/4), and that the topology and dimensionality of the system strongly influence the crossover between the rigid regime and the self-avoiding regime at a scale L approximately 7l{p}. Additionally, the bond correlation function scales with the molecular length L as predicted. For molecular lengths L<or=5l{p}, circular DNA behaves like a stiff molecule with an approximately elliptic shape.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Aluminum Silicates / chemistry
  • DNA, Circular / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Models, Chemical
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Plasmids / chemistry

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • DNA, Circular
  • mica