Single Molecule Measurements of Double-Stranded DNA Condensation.

IF 3.2 3区生物学 Q2 BIOPHYSICS

Biophysical journal Pub Date : 2025-03-31 DOI:10.1016/j.bpj.2025.03.033

Helena Gien, Ioulia Rouzina, Michael Morse, Micah J McCauley, Mark C Williams

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Electrostatically driven double stranded (ds)DNA condensation is critical in regulating many biological processes, including bacteriophage and virus replication and the packaging of chromosomal DNA in sperm heads. Here we review single-molecule (SM) measurements of dsDNA condensed by cationic proteins, polypeptides, and small multivalent cations. Optical tweezers (OT) measurements of dsDNA collapsed by cationic condensing agents reveal a critical condensing force unique to each condensing agent that is tunable with condensing agent concentration and ionic strength. DNA globules visualized via atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and cryo-electron microscopy (CryoEM) reveal condensed dsDNA adopting several conformations including highly ordered toroids with a measurable central hole and, more recently, the maximally dense, yarn-ball like structures observed with dsDNA condensed by the HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein (NC). The combination of these approaches provides multifaceted insight into the shape and size of electrostatically condensed dsDNA globules and the kinetics of their formation and dissolution. We also review the physics of dsDNA condensation, including recent studies that show dsDNA globule size is tunable with ionic strength. Overall, this review provides important insights into understanding dsDNA condensate-regulated biological processes, as well as potential uses for gene delivery.

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来源期刊

Biophysical journal 生物-生物物理

CiteScore

6.10

自引率

5.90%

发文量

3090

审稿时长

2 months

期刊介绍： BJ publishes original articles, letters, and perspectives on important problems in modern biophysics. The papers should be written so as to be of interest to a broad community of biophysicists. BJ welcomes experimental studies that employ quantitative physical approaches for the study of biological systems, including or spanning scales from molecule to whole organism. Experimental studies of a purely descriptive or phenomenological nature, with no theoretical or mechanistic underpinning, are not appropriate for publication in BJ. Theoretical studies should offer new insights into the understanding ofexperimental results or suggest new experimentally testable hypotheses. Articles reporting significant methodological or technological advances, which have potential to open new areas of biophysical investigation, are also suitable for publication in BJ. Papers describing improvements in accuracy or speed of existing methods or extra detail within methods described previously are not suitable for BJ.