Title
A Monte Carlo Study of Knots in Long Double-Stranded DNA Chains.
Abstract
We determine knotting probabilities and typical sizes of knots in double-stranded DNA for chains of up to half a million base pairs with computer simulations of a coarse-grained bead-stick model: Single trefoil knots and composite knots which include at least one trefoil as a prime factor are shown to be common in DNA chains exceeding 250,000 base pairs, assuming physiologically relevant salt conditions. The analysis is motivated by the emergence of DNA nanopore sequencing technology, as knots are a potential cause of erroneous nucleotide reads in nanopore sequencing devices and may severely limit read lengths in the foreseeable future. Even though our coarse-grained model is only based on experimental knotting probabilities of short DNA strands, it reproduces the correct persistence length of DNA. This indicates that knots are not only a fine gauge for structural properties, but a promising tool for the design of polymer models.
Year
DOI
Venue
2016
10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005029
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
Field
DocType
Volume
Trefoil,Monte Carlo method,Biology,Nanopore sequencing,DNA,Persistence length,Bioinformatics,Base pair,Knot (unit)
Journal
12
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
9
1553-7358
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
2
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Florian C Rieger100.34
Peter Virnau218019.44