Hexagonally packed DNA within bacteriophage T7 stabilized by curvature stress.
A continuum computation is proposed for the bending stress stabilizing DNA that is hexagonally packed within bacteriophage T7. Because the inner radius of the DNA spool is rather small, the stress of the curved DNA genome is strong enough to balance its electrostatic self-repulsion so as to form a stable hexagonal phase. The theory is in accord with the microscopically determined structure of bacteriophage T7 filled with DNA within the experimental margin of error.
Odijk
T
T
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. t.odijk@stm.tudelft.nl
D017123:Bacteriophage T7 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D055672:Static Electricity; D013816:Thermodynamics
D004279:DNA, Viral