DNA ejection from bacteriophage: towards a general behavior for osmotic suppression experiments

TL;DR

This study measures DNA ejection forces from bacteriophages T5 and lambda using osmotic suppression, demonstrating that a simplified bending-based model can accurately predict the experimental results, advancing understanding of DNA packaging.

Contribution

The paper introduces a simplified analytical model based solely on bending energy to explain DNA ejection forces, providing a unified approach for osmotic suppression experiments.

Findings

Bacteriophage DNA ejection forces measured for T5 and lambda.

A bending-based model accurately predicts experimental data.

Insights into DNA packaging mechanics in spherical capsids.

Abstract

We present in this work in vitro measurements of the force ejecting DNA from two distinct bacteriophages (T5 and lambda) using the smotic-suppression technique. Our data are analyzed by revisiting the current theories of DNA packaging in spherical capsids. In particular we show that a simplified analytical model based on bending considerations only is able to account quantitatively for the experimental findings. Physical and biological consequences are discussed.