Magnetic torque tweezers: measuring torsional stiffness in DNA and RecA-DNA filaments.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 20953173.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/nmeth.1520.
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Abstract
We introduce magnetic torque tweezers, which enable direct single-molecule measurements of torque. Our measurements of the effective torsional stiffness C of dsDNA indicated a substantial force dependence, with C = approximately 40 nm at low forces up to C = approximately 100 nm at high forces. The initial torsional stiffness of RecA filaments was nearly twofold larger than that for dsDNA, yet at moderate torques further build-up of torsional strain was prevented.
Medical subject headings
- DNA
- Magnetics
- Rec A Recombinases