title: Rapid internal contraction boosts DNA friction.
abstract: Macroscopic objects are usually manipulated by force and observed with light. On the nanoscale, however, this is often done oppositely: individual macromolecules are manipulated by light and monitored with force. This procedure, which is the basis of single-molecule force spectroscopy, has led to much of our quantitative understanding of how DNA works, and is now routinely applied to explore molecular structure and interactions, DNA-protein reactions and protein folding. Here we develop the technique further by introducing a dynamic force spectroscopy set-up for a non-invasive inspection of the tension dynamics in a taut strand of DNA. The internal contraction after a sudden release of the molecule is shown to give rise to a drastically enhanced viscous friction, as revealed by the slow relaxation of an attached colloidal tracer. Our systematic theory explains the data quantitatively and provides a powerful tool for the rational design of new dynamic force spectroscopy assays.
authors: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Otto
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Sturm
authors: Nadanai
authors: N
authors: Laohakunakorn
authors: Ulrich F
authors: UF
authors: Keyser
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Kroy
mesh_terms: D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000737:chemistry*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry*; D017276:Friction; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
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