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Sequence Specific Force Curves Measured by Mechanically Opening the DNA Double Helix

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

U. Bockelmann ,
B. Essevaz-Roulet  and
F. Heslot
U. Bockelmann
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Normale Supérieure 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France, ulrich@physique.ens.fr
B. Essevaz-Roulet
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Normale Supérieure 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France, ulrich@physique.ens.fr
F. Heslot
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Ecole Normale Supérieure 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France, ulrich@physique.ens.fr
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Abstract

Using techniques of molecular biology, we have designed a molecular construction which allows to attach the two complementary strands of one end of a single molecule of bacteriophage λ DNA separately to a glass microscope slide and a microscopic bead. A soft microneedle acting as a force sensor is chemically attached to the bead and its deflection is measured by an optical microscope. Keeping the base of the force lever fixed, the glass slide is displaced slowly, leading to a progressive opening of the double helix. The force measured during the opening process shows a characteristic variation which is related to the sequence of the bases along the DNA molecule. We present a brief summary of the present state of our work.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 489: Symposium K – Materials Science of the Cell , 1997 , 3
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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