Flexibility of nucleic acids: From DNA to RNA

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/25/1/018703

Abstract The structural flexibility of nucleic acids plays a key role in many fundamental life processes, such as gene replication and expression, DNA-protein recognition, and gene regulation. To obtain a thorough understanding of nucleic acid flexibility, extensive studies have been performed using various experimental methods and theoretical models. In this review, we will introduce the progress that has been made in understanding the flexibility of nucleic acids including DNAs and RNAs, and will emphasize the experimental findings and the effects of salt, temperature, and sequence. Finally, we will discuss the major unanswered questions in understanding the flexibility of nucleic acids.

Keywords: DNA RNA flexibility computer simulation

Received: 01 May 2015
Revised: 09 July 2015
Accepted manuscript online:

PACS:	87.10.Pq	(Elasticity theory)
	87.14.G-	(Nucleic acids)
	87.15.ap	(Molecular dynamics simulation)
	87.15.H-	(Dynamics of biomolecules)

Fund: Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CB933600), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11175132, 11575128, and 11374234), and the Program for New Century Excellent Talents, China (Grant No. NCET 08-0408).

Corresponding Authors: Zhi-Jie Tan
E-mail: zjtan@whu.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Lei Bao(鲍磊), Xi Zhang(张曦), Lei Jin(金雷), Zhi-Jie Tan(谭志杰) Flexibility of nucleic acids: From DNA to RNA 2016 Chin. Phys. B 25 018703

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