title: Effects of temperature on the mechanical properties of single stranded DNA.
abstract: We present the first measurements of the temperature dependent extension of single stranded DNA. At forces between 2 and 10 pN the extension increases with temperature. This increase in extension is consistent with the disruption of hairpins, and a simple theory that includes hairpin formation shows good agreement with the data at these low forces. In contrast, at forces above 10 pN and temperatures higher than 40 degrees C, the extension decreases rapidly with temperature in a manner not consistent with predictions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Danilowicz
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: V W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Coljee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prentiss
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004548:Elasticity; D019563:Mechanics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D044367:Phase Transition; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D004247:DNA