Print Email Facebook Twitter Direct Determination of the Base-Pair Force Constant of DNA from the Acoustic Phonon Dispersion of the Double Helix Title Direct Determination of the Base-Pair Force Constant of DNA from the Acoustic Phonon Dispersion of the Double Helix Author Van Eijck, L. Merzel, F. Rols, S. Olliver, J. Forsyth, V.T. Johnson, M.R. Faculty Applied Sciences Department RRR/Radiation, Radionuclides and Reactors Date 2011-08-19 Abstract Quantifying the molecular elasticity of DNA is fundamental to our understanding of its biological functions. Recently different groups, through experiments on tailored DNA samples and numerical models, have reported a range of stretching force constants (0.3 to 3 N=m). However, the most direct, microscopic measurement of DNA stiffness is obtained from the dispersion of its vibrations. A new neutron scattering spectrometer and aligned, wet spun samples have enabled such measurements, which provide the first data of collective excitations of DNA and yield a force constant of 83 N=m. Structural and dynamic order persists unchanged to within 15 K of the melting point of the sample, precluding the formation of bubbles. These findings are supported by large scale phonon and molecular dynamics calculations, which reconcile hard and soft force constants. To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:dbfe9eff-f668-4cb9-8cfd-6c2be096b1c4 DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.088102 Publisher American Physical Society ISSN 0031-9007 Source http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.088102 Source Physical Review Letters, 107 (8), 2011 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2011 The Author(s)American Physical Society Files PDF vanEijck_2011.pdf 557.68 KB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:dbfe9eff-f668-4cb9-8cfd-6c2be096b1c4/datastream/OBJ/view