title: Effect of a mechanical tension on the hydration of DNA in fibres.
abstract: Fiber X-ray diffraction and measurement of fibre dimensions yield information about the effects of a mechanical tension on hydration of DNA in fibres. At a given relative humidity, the mechanical tension changes the DNA conformation but does not modify the number of water molecules associated to a nucleotide. The number of water molecules per nucleotide necessary to maintain B form decreases for increasing tensions applied to the DNA fibre. Form transitions can be opposed by mechanical tensions; an energy of 1 Kcal per mole of nucleotide pairs is sufficient to prevent the B to A transition.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biophysique Moléculaire, UA CNRS N. 494, Université de Nancy I, Faculté des Sciences, Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harmouchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Albiser
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Premilat
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D004247:DNA