title: DNA molecules on periodically microstructured lipid membranes: localization and coil stretching.
abstract: We explore large scale conformations of DNA molecules adsorbed on curved surfaces. For that purpose, we investigate the behavior of DNA adsorbed on periodically shaped cationic lipid membranes. These unique membrane morphologies are supported on grooved, one-dimensionally periodic microstructured surfaces. Strikingly, we find that these periodically structured membranes are capable to stretch DNA coils. We elucidate this phenomenon in terms of surface curvature dependent potential energy attained by the adsorbed DNA molecules. Due to it, DNA molecules undergo a localization transition causing them to stretch by binding to highly curved sections (edges) of the supported membranes. This effect provides a new venue for controlling conformations of semiflexible polymers such as DNA by employing their interactions with specially designed biocompatible surfaces. We report the first experimental observation of semiflexible polymers unbinding transition in which DNA molecules unbind from one-dimensional manifolds (edges) while remaining bound to two-dimensional manifolds (cationic membranes).
authors.affiliation: Department für Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Marion B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hochrein
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Leierseder
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Golubović
authors.forename: Joachim O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Rädler
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010743:Phospholipids; D004247:DNA