Measurement of DNA morphological parameters at highly entangled regime on surfaces

J Phys Chem B. 2009 Apr 16;113(15):4987-90. doi: 10.1021/jp8097318.

Abstract

The morphology of circular DNA deposited from a solution on the mica surface is analyzed from the power spectrum density (PSD) of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) images. Sample morphology is modulated in a broad range of concentration C from isolated molecules to highly entangled networks. DNA exhibits a multiaffine behavior with two correlation length scales: the persistence length P which remains constant ( approximately 50 nm) within the C range and the intermolecular distance xi which exhibits a decay with increasing C. Applying a diffusion based model in which xi scales as xi approximately D(-0.25).C(-0.5), we extracted the DNA diffusion coefficient D approximately 2 x 10(-7) cm(2)/s. This value is consistent with a high-molecular-weight plasmid DNA supercoiled in the solution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Silicates / chemistry*
  • DNA, Circular / analysis*
  • DNA, Circular / chemistry*
  • Diffusion
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Molecular Weight
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation*
  • Particle Size
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Aluminum Silicates
  • DNA, Circular
  • mica