Physics – Condensed Matter – Soft Condensed Matter
Scientific paper
2001-05-03
J. Chem. Phys., 115 (2001) 7298.
Physics
Condensed Matter
Soft Condensed Matter
Many corrections to text. SUbmitted to J. Chem. Phys
Scientific paper
10.1063/1.1402988
The phase diagram of a water solution of DNA and oppositely charged spherical macroions is studied. DNA winds around spheres to form beads-on-a-string complexes resembling the chromatin 10 nm fiber. At small enough concentration of spheres these "artificial chromatin" complexes are negative, while at large enough concentrations of spheres the charge of DNA is inverted by the adsorbed spheres. Charges of complexes stabilize their solutions. In the plane of concentrations of DNA and spheres the phases with positive and negative complexes are separated by another phase, which contains the condensate of neutral DNA-spheres complexes. Thus when the concentration of spheres grows, DNA-spheres complexes experience condensation and resolubilization (or reentrant condensation). Phenomenological theory of the phase diagram of reentrant condensation and charge inversion is suggested. Parameters of this theory are calculated by microscopic theory. It is shown that an important part of the effect of a monovalent salt on the phase diagram can be described by the nontrivial renormalization of the effective linear charge density of DNA wound around a sphere, due to the Onsager-Manning condensation. We argue that our phenomenological phase diagram or reentrant condensation is generic to a large class of strongly asymmetric electrolytes. Possible implication of these results for the natural chromatin are discussed.
Nguyen Toan Thang
Shklovskii Boris I.
No associations
LandOfFree
Complexation of DNA with positive spheres: phase diagram of charge inversion and reentrant condensation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Complexation of DNA with positive spheres: phase diagram of charge inversion and reentrant condensation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Complexation of DNA with positive spheres: phase diagram of charge inversion and reentrant condensation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-249752