Measurements of the hysteresis in unzipping and rezipping double-stranded DNA.
Complete unzipping and rezipping of lambda -phage double-stranded DNA is achieved by applying a constant force. A strong hysteresis is observed at all tested time scales and temperatures. Hysteresis also occurs for partial unzipping, indicating stability for the partially open state over a force range of 2- 5pN . Results are compared to nearest-neighbor model simulations, and reasonable agreement is found.
Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
K
K
Hatch
C
C
Danilowicz
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V
Coljee
M
M
Prentiss
D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D004279:DNA, Viral