DNA Dynamics in Concentrated Solutions

9418053 Bloomfield DNA在拥挤、强相互作用的溶液中发挥作用。其行为的平衡和动态方面受到环境的强烈影响。当溶液的体积占用率达到几十个百分点时，就像在细胞内一样，从稀释溶液的行为进行简单的外推就完全不够了。实验和理论方法将应用于研究高浓度聚合物如何影响DNA和结合DNA的蛋白质的扩散。荧光光漂白回收将作为主要的实验技术，以现代聚合物理论概念和计算机模拟为理论工具。这个项目的目标是发展一个坚实的实验和理论理解的方式，在高聚合物浓度影响DNA的扩散，并结合到DNA的蛋白质。这将揭示细胞生物学中的一些重要问题，如微生物细胞分裂过程中质粒的分离，以及在非特异性DNA背景下通过结合蛋白确定其特定结合位点的位置。＊＊＊

9418053 Bloomfield DNA functions in crowded, strongly interacting solutions. The equilibrium and dynamic aspects of its behavior are strongly influenced by its environment. When the volume occupancy of a solution reaches several tens of percent, as it does within cells, simple extrapolations from dilute solution behavior become totally inadequate. Experimental and theoretical approaches will be applied to study the ways in which high polymer concentrations influence the diffusion of DNA, and of proteins which bind to DNA. Fluorescence photo bleaching recovery will be used as a major experimental technique, and modern polymer theoretical concepts and computer simulation as theoretical tools. %%% The goal in this project is to develop a solid experimental and theoretical understanding of the ways in which high polymer concentrations influence the diffusion of DNA, and of proteins which bind to DNA. This should shed light on some important questions in cell biology, such as the segregation of plasmids during cell division in microorganisms, and the location by binding proteins of their specific binding sites in a background of nonspecific DNA. ***