Complexes of semiflexible polyelectrolytes and charged spheres as models for salt-modulated nucleosomal structures.
We investigate the complexation behavior between a semiflexible charged polymer and an oppositely charged sphere with parameters appropriate for the DNA-histone system. We determine the ground state of a simple free energy expression (which includes electrostatic interactions on a linear level) numerically and use symmetry arguments to divide the obtained DNA configuration into broad classes, thereby obtaining global phase diagrams. We pay specific attention to the effects of salt concentration, DNA length variation, DNA charge renormalization, and externally applied force on the obtained complex structures.
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Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
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D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008954:Models, Biological; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D055672:Static Electricity; D013816:Thermodynamics
D004573:Electrolytes; D006657:Histones; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009707:Nucleosomes; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D004247:DNA