Tobias Ambjörnsson
Senior lecturer
Dynamics of DNA conformations and DNA-protein interaction
Author
Summary, in English
Optical tweezers, atomic force microscopes, patch clamping, or fluorescence techniques make it possible to study both the equilibrium conformations and dynamics of single DNA molecules as well as their interaction with binding proteins. In this paper we address the dynamics of local DNA denaturation (bubble breathing), deriving its dynamic response to external physical parameters and the DNA sequence in terms of the bubble relaxation time spectrum and the autocorrelation function of bubble breathing. The interaction with binding proteins that selectively bind to the DNA single strand exposed in a denaturation bubble are shown to involve an interesting competition of time scales, varying between kinetic blocking of protein binding up to full binding protein-induced denaturation of the DNA. We will also address the potential to use DNA physics for the design of nanosensors. Finally, we report recent findings on the search process of proteins for a specific target on the DNA.
Publishing year
2005-12-01
Language
English
Pages
7-18
Publication/Series
Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings
Volume
899
Document type
Conference paper
Topic
- Biophysics
- Other Physics Topics
Conference name
2005 MRS Fall Meeting
Conference date
2005-11-28 - 2005-12-02
Conference place
Boston, MA, United States
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0272-9172