Effects of Quantum Vacuum Fluctuations of the Electric Field on DNA Condensation

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum vacuum fluctuations of the electric field influence DNA condensation, proposing a modified classical model to isolate quantum effects and demonstrating a universal Casimir-like interaction that may explain DNA aggregation.

Contribution

It introduces a modified Poisson-Boltzmann framework incorporating quantum fluctuations to model DNA interactions, highlighting a universal Casimir-like force responsible for DNA condensation.

Findings

Identifies a universal Casimir-like interaction among DNA strands.

Demonstrates the many-body nature of the quantum-induced force.

Shows the interaction can explain DNA aggregate stability.

Abstract

By assuming that not only counter-ions but DNA molecules as well are thermally distributed according to a Boltzmann law, we propose a modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation at the classical level as starting point to compute the effects of quantum fluctuations of the electric field on the interaction among DNA-cation complexes. The latter are modeled here as infinite one-dimensional wires ($\delta$-functions). Our goal is to single out such quantum-vacuum-driven interaction from the counterion-induced and water-related interactions. We obtain a universal, frustration-free Casimir-like (codimension 2) interaction that extensive numerical analysis show to be a good candidate to explain the formation and stability of DNA aggregates. Such Casimir energy is computed for a variety of configurations of up to 19 DNA strands in a hexagonal array. It is found to be strongly many-body.