Base Pair Openings and Temperature Dependence of DNA Flexibility

TL;DR

This paper investigates how base pair openings influence DNA flexibility by analyzing temperature-dependent persistence length data using a combined statistical and physical model, revealing the role of open and closed base pairs.

Contribution

It introduces a model linking base pair opening states to DNA flexibility, integrating experimental data with a sequence-dependent statistical approach without adjustable parameters.

Findings

The inhomogeneous Kratky-Porot model accurately describes temperature effects on DNA flexibility.

Base pair opening states significantly impact DNA persistence length.

Sequence-dependent base pair states are crucial for understanding DNA flexibility.

Abstract

The relationship of base pair openings to DNA flexibility is examined. Published experimental data on the temperature dependence of the persistence length by two different groups are well described in terms of an inhomogeneous Kratky-Porot model with soft and hard joints, corresponding to open and closed base pairs, and sequence-dependent statistical information about the state of each pair provided by a Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois (PBD) model calculation with no freely adjustable parameters.