All-or-none (or something in between) transition of DNA

Hayashi, Y. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9207-6322 (2004) All-or-none (or something in between) transition of DNA. Europhysics Letters, 68 (4). pp. 536-542. ISSN 0295-5075 doi: 10.1209/epl/i2004-10246-x

Abstract/Summary

DNA compaction can be caused by multivalent ions as condensing agents. Both discontinuous (all-or-none) and continuous (pearl-necklace structure) transitions have been observed in experiments as the concentration of the condensing agent was increased. We have investigated the DNA transition by analytical calculations in the infinite-chain limit. A mechanism for pearl-necklace structures could be a combinatorial entropy term, which favours a mixture of globules and coils in a single chain. However, when a surface term is taken into account, it gives rise to a discontinuous transition. We also consider the role of surface charges on the globule.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/30821
Identification Number/DOI	10.1209/epl/i2004-10246-x
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences > Department of Bio-Engineering
Publisher	Institute of Physics Publishing
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