Weak tension accelerates hybridization and dehybridization of short oligonucleotides.

ABSTRACT: The hybridization and dehybridization of DNA subject to tension is relevant to fundamental genetic processes and to the design of DNA-based mechanobiology assays. While strong tension accelerates DNA melting and decelerates DNA annealing, the effects of tension weaker than 5 pN are less clear. In this study, we developed a DNA bow assay, which uses the bending rigidity of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to exert weak tension on a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) target in the range of 2-6 pN. Combining this assay with single-molecule FRET, we measured the hybridization and dehybridization kinetics between a 15 nt ssDNA under tension and a 8-9  nt oligonucleotide, and found that both the hybridization and dehybridization rates monotonically increase with tension for various nucleotide sequences test

SUBMITTER: Hart DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10123125 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature