title: Theoretical studies of DNA during gel electrophoresis.
abstract: A numerical study of the motion of a long-chain macromolecule in a gel has shown unexpected features. The application of a field appears to induce the chain to contract on itself. This is followed by its "unwinding" into an extended configuration. For long chains, the mobility tends toward a constant, in accord with experiments. For the parameter range used, the observed molecular motion differs strongly from assumptions made in the present theory of electrophoresis.
authors: Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz 95064.
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Deutsch
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004586:Electrophoresis; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation
chemical_list: D004247:DNA