title: Electrophoretic mobility of semi-flexible double-stranded DNA in defect-controlled polymer networks: Mechanism investigation and role of structural parameters.
abstract: Our previous studies have reported an empirical model, which explains the electrophoretic mobility (μ) of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as a combination of a basic migration term (Rouse-like or reptation) and entropy loss term in polymer gels with ideal network structure. However, this case is of exception, considering a large amount of heterogeneity in the conventional polymer gels. In this study, we systematically tune the heterogeneity in the polymer gels and study the migration of dsDNA in these gels. Our experimental data well agree with the model found for ideal networks. The basic migration mechanism (Rouse-like or reptation) persists perfectly in the conventional heterogeneous polymer gel system, while the entropy loss term continuously changes with increase in the heterogeneity. Furthermore, we found that in the limit where dsDNA is shorter than dsDNA persistence length, the entropy loss term may be related to the collisional motions between DNA fragments and the cross-links.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
authors.forename: Kateryna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khairulina
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
authors.forename: Ung-il
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
authors.forename: Takamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000295:instrumentation; D019277:Entropy; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009038:Motion; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D004247:DNA