The mechanical genome

Date

Dec 4, 2015

Time

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker

Prof. Helmut Schiessel

Affiliation

Universiteit Leiden, Lorentz Institute for Theoretical Physics, Netherlands

Language

en

Main Topic

Biologie

Other Topics

Biologie, Medizin

Host

Jochen Guck

Description

Abstract: My group studies the three-dimensional arrangements of DNA molecules inside cells. Currently we explore the possibility that mechanical information is hidden inside the base-pair sequence of genomes. This information contains mechanical cues that e.g. guide the folding of the DNA molecule that carries this information. We were able to show that this mechanical information can be multiplexed with classical genetic information (as one can have two phone conversations on the same wire). This suggests the possibility of a mechanical evolution of DNA molecules that takes place in parallel and independent of the classical evolution of genomes. The methods employed by my group range from analytical treatments (using methods from statistical and classical mechanics) to computer simulations. Publications: R. D. Schram, G. T. Barkema and H. Schiessel, On the stability of fractal globules. J. Chem. Phys. 138, 224901-1-11 (2013).M. Emanuel, G. Lanzani and H. Schiessel, Multi-plectoneme phase of double-stranded DNA under torsion. Phys. Rev. E 88, 022706-1-20 (2013).A. Fathizadeh, A. B. Besya, M. R. Ejtehadi and H. Schiessel, Rigid body molecular dynamics DNA inside a nucleosome. Eur. Phys. J 36, 21-1-10 (2013).M. Depken and H. Schiessel, Nucleosome shape dictates chromatin-fiber structure. Biophys. J. 96, 777-784 (2009).I. M. Kulic and H. Schiessel. DNA spools under tension. Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 228101 (2004).

Links

• to announcement of the organizer

Last modified: Dec 4, 2015, 9:00:11 AM