Effective stiffening of DNA due to nematic ordering causes DNA molecules packed in phage capsids to preferentially form torus knots.

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_4D5FAD702911
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Effective stiffening of DNA due to nematic ordering causes DNA molecules packed in phage capsids to preferentially form torus knots.
Journal
Nucleic Acids Research
Author(s)
Reith D., Cifra P., Stasiak A., Virnau P.
ISSN
1362-4962 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0305-1048
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2012
Volume
40
Number
11
Pages
5129-5137
Language
english
Abstract
Observation that DNA molecules in bacteriophage capsids preferentially form torus type of knots provided a sensitive gauge to evaluate various models of DNA arrangement in phage heads. Only models resulting in a preponderance of torus knots could be considered as close to reality. Recent studies revealed that experimentally observed enrichment of torus knots can be qualitatively reproduced in numerical simulations that include a potential inducing nematic arrangement of tightly packed DNA molecules within phage capsids. Here, we investigate what aspects of the nematic arrangement are crucial for inducing formation of torus knots. Our results indicate that the effective stiffening of DNA by the nematic arrangement not only promotes knotting in general but is also the decisive factor in promoting formation of DNA torus knots in phage capsids.
Keywords
Bacteriophages/genetics, Capsid/chemistry, DNA, Viral/chemistry, Models, Molecular, Virus Assembly
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
05/07/2012 18:08
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:02
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