title: Torque correlation length and stochastic twist dynamics of DNA.
abstract: We introduce a short correlation length for torque in twisting-stiff biomolecules, which is necessary for the physical property that torque fluctuations be finite in amplitude. We develop a nonequilibrium theory of dynamics of DNA twisting which predicts two crossover time scales for temporal torque correlations in single-molecule experiments. Bending fluctuations can be included, and at linear order we find that they do not affect the twist dynamics. However, twist fluctuations affect bending, and we predict the spatial inhomogeneity of twist, torque, and buckling arising in nonequilibrium "rotor-bead" experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Banigan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA and Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Marko
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA; D004548:Elasticity; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D019415:Torque
chemical_list: D004247:DNA