CPM Seminar

We have shown that DNA molecules in solution bind to supported bilayers of cationic lipids with a strength larger than 5 kcal/mol per helical turn of DNA. Our experiments with two lipids and several ionic species at different strengths indicate that the phenomenon is a 2-D condensation of DNA. The 2-D condensation occurs for both linear and circular forms of DNA and is independent of the lengths of DNA. Although details of the nature of how 2-D condensation of DNA occurs is still not quite clear at present, it appears that condensed DNA has some degree of nematic ordering. In order to understand the nature of the ordering, we try to present some data analysis of significant statistics. From averaging a large number of images, we obtained structural factors and the correlation greens functions for different systems. These may allow direct comparison of our experimental results with some known theories to allow an understanding of the nematic ordering in the condensed DNA.

Thursday, November 6th, 15:30
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, room 114