Physics – Condensed Matter – Soft Condensed Matter
Scientific paper
2006-05-30
Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 118301 (2006)
Physics
Condensed Matter
Soft Condensed Matter
Latex version, 4 pages+3 color figures
Scientific paper
10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.118301
When mixed together, DNA and polyaminoamide (PAMAM) dendrimers form fibers that condense into a compact structure. We use optical tweezers to pull condensed fibers and investigate the decondensation transition by measuring force-extension curves (FECs). A characteristic plateau force (around 10 pN) and hysteresis between the pulling and relaxation cycles are observed for different dendrimer sizes, indicating the existence of a first-order transition between two phases (condensed and extended) of the fiber. The fact that we can reproduce the same FECs in the absence of additional dendrimers in the buffer medium indicates that dendrimers remain irreversibly bound to the DNA backbone. Upon salt variation FECs change noticeably confirming that electrostatic forces drive the condensation transition. Finally, we propose a simple model for the decondensing transition that qualitatively reproduces the FECs and which is confirmed by AFM images.
Bustamante Carlos
Mihardja S.
Ritort Felix
Smith Samuel Bruce
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