DNA Brushing Shoulders: Targeted Looping and Scanning of Large DNA Strands.

Azad, Zubair; Roushan, Maedeh; Riehn, Robert · Nano Lett · 2015

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

We present a nanofluidic device for targeted manipulations in the quarternary structure of single DNA molecules. We demonstrate the folding and unfolding of hairpin-shaped regions, similar to chromatin loops. These loops are stable for minutes at nanochannel junctions. We demonstrate continuous scanning of two DNA segments that occupy a common nanovolume. We present a model governing the stability of loop folds and discuss how the system achieves specific DNA configurations without operator intervention.

Medical subject headings