Linked Life Data

1433295

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/1433295

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
1992-12-8
pubmed:abstractText
We used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the conformational and thermodynamic properties of DNA molecules with physiological levels of supercoiling. Three parameters determine the properties of DNA in this model: Kuhn statistical length, torsional rigidity and effective double-helix diameter. The chains in the simulation resemble strongly those observed by electron microscopy and have the conformation of an interwound superhelix whose axis is often branched. We compared the geometry of simulated chains with that determined experimentally by electron microscopy and by topological methods. We found a very close agreement between the Monte Carlo and experimental values for writhe, superhelix axis length and the number of superhelical turns. The computed number of superhelix branches was found to be dependent on superhelix density, DNA chain length and double-helix diameter. We investigated the thermodynamics of supercoiling and found that at low superhelix density the entropic contribution to superhelix free energy is negligible, whereas at high superhelix density, the entropic and enthalpic contributions are nearly equal. We calculated the effect of supercoiling on the spatial distribution of DNA segments. The probability that a pair of DNA sites separated along the chain contour by at least 50 nm are juxtaposed is about two orders of magnitude greater in supercoiled DNA than in relaxed DNA. This increase in the effective local concentration of DNA is not strongly dependent on the contour separation between the sites. We discuss the implications of this enhancement of site juxtaposition by supercoiling in the context of protein-DNA interactions involving multiple DNA-binding sites.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Oct
pubmed:issn
0022-2836
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
20
pubmed:volume
227
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1224-43
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1992
pubmed:articleTitle
Conformational and thermodynamic properties of supercoiled DNA.
pubmed:affiliation
Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, CIS.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't