| Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 68, Number 4, November 2004
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 536 - 542 | |
| Section | Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2004-10246-x | |
| Published online | 20 October 2004 | |
All-or-none (or something in between) transition of DNA
Physical Chemistry 1, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Lund University - P.O. Box 124, S-221 00 Lund, Sweden
Received:
20
April
2004
Accepted:
29
September
2004
DNA compaction can be caused by multivalent ions as condensing agents. Both discontinuous (all-or-none) and continuous (pearl-necklace structure) transitions have been observed in experiments as the concentration of the condensing agent was increased. We have investigated the DNA transition by analytical calculations in the infinite-chain limit. A mechanism for pearl-necklace structures could be a combinatorial entropy term, which favours a mixture of globules and coils in a single chain. However, when a surface term is taken into account, it gives rise to a discontinuous transition. We also consider the role of surface charges on the globule.
PACS: 61.25.Hq – Macromolecular and polymer solutions; polymer melts; swelling
© EDP Sciences, 2004
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.