title: DNA ejection from bacteriophage: towards a general behavior for osmotic-suppression experiments.
abstract: We present in this work in vitro measurements of the force ejecting DNA from two distinct bacteriophages (T5 and lambda using the osmotic-suppression technique. Our data are analyzed by revisiting the current theories of DNA packaging in spherical capsids. In particular we show that a simplified analytical model based on bending considerations only is able to account quantitatively for the experimental findings. Physical and biological consequences are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Joliot-Curie et Laboratoire de Physique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon cedex 07, France. martin.castelnovo@ens-lyon.fr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castelnovo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evilevitch
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000379:methods; D002627:Chemistry, Physical / Q000379:methods; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009995:Osmosis; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011312:Pressure; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D055672:Static Electricity; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I