TY - JOUR
T1 - Hyperstretching DNA
AU - Schakenraad, Koen
AU - Biebricher, Andreas S.
AU - Sebregts, Maarten
AU - Ten Bensel, Brian
AU - Peterman, Erwin J.G.
AU - Wuite, Gijs J L
AU - Heller, Iddo
AU - Storm, Cornelis
AU - Van Der Schoot, Paul
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - The three-dimensional structure of DNA is highly susceptible to changes by mechanical and biochemical cues in vivo and in vitro. In particular, large increases in base pair spacing compared to regular B-DNA are effected by mechanical (over)stretching and by intercalation of compounds that are widely used in biophysical/chemical assays and drug treatments. We present single-molecule experiments and a three-state statistical mechanical model that provide a quantitative understanding of the interplay between B-DNA, overstretched DNA and intercalated DNA. The predictions of this model include a hitherto unconfirmed hyperstretched state, twice the length of B-DNA. Our force-fluorescence experiments confirm this hyperstretched state and reveal its sequence dependence. These results pin down the physical principles that govern DNA mechanics under the influence of tension and biochemical reactions. A predictive understanding of the possibilities and limitations of DNA extension can guide refined exploitation of DNA in, e.g., programmable soft materials and DNA origami applications.
AB - The three-dimensional structure of DNA is highly susceptible to changes by mechanical and biochemical cues in vivo and in vitro. In particular, large increases in base pair spacing compared to regular B-DNA are effected by mechanical (over)stretching and by intercalation of compounds that are widely used in biophysical/chemical assays and drug treatments. We present single-molecule experiments and a three-state statistical mechanical model that provide a quantitative understanding of the interplay between B-DNA, overstretched DNA and intercalated DNA. The predictions of this model include a hitherto unconfirmed hyperstretched state, twice the length of B-DNA. Our force-fluorescence experiments confirm this hyperstretched state and reveal its sequence dependence. These results pin down the physical principles that govern DNA mechanics under the influence of tension and biochemical reactions. A predictive understanding of the possibilities and limitations of DNA extension can guide refined exploitation of DNA in, e.g., programmable soft materials and DNA origami applications.
KW - Computational biophysics
KW - DNA and RNA
KW - Single-molecule biophysics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038632306&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41467-017-02396-1
DO - 10.1038/s41467-017-02396-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85038632306
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 8
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
IS - 1
M1 - 2197
ER -