An experimental investigation of attraction between knots in a stretched DNA molecule
An experimental investigation of attraction between knots in a stretched DNA molecule
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DOI：
10.1209/0295-5075/129/68001
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发表时间：
2020-03-01
期刊：
影响因子：
1.8
通讯作者：
Doyle, Patrick S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Klotz, Alexander R.;Soh, Beatrice W.;Doyle, Patrick S.
已经通过模拟预测，拉伸聚合物中的两个结将感觉到彼此的吸引力，并且将倾向于被发现非常接近。在这里，我们检查数据从实验中，我们伸展打结的DNA分子，并调查一个子集，其中包含两个或更多的结。与拉伸场中孤立结的预期行为相反，我们观察到成对的结从分子的远处部分向彼此移动。在相遇之后，成对的绳结会在视觉接触上忽隐忽现，并且一次可以保持几分钟的接近。我们的实验结果表明，扩展的聚合物上的结经历一个有吸引力的相互作用。
It has been predicted through simulations that two knots in a stretched polymer will feel an attraction towards one another and will tend to be found in close proximity. Here, we examine data from experiments in which we stretched knotted DNA molecules and investigate a subset which contained two or more knots. In contrast to the expected behavior of an isolated knot in an elongational field, we observe that pairs of knots move towards each other from distant sections of the molecule. After meeting, pairs of knots fluctuate in and out of visual contact, and can remain in proximity for minutes at a time. Our experimental results suggest that knots on an extended polymer experience an attractive interaction.