A New Look for DNA: Shifting Shapes and Changing Colors

Mai, Danielle

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/75837 Copy

Description

Title

A New Look for DNA: Shifting Shapes and Changing Colors

Author(s)

Mai, Danielle

Contributor(s)

• Loudermilk, Dorothy
• Marciel, Amanda
• Schroeder, Charles

Issue Date

2015

Keyword(s)

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Abstract

Synthetic chemistry helps DNA molecules take on new shapes and structures, such as the various comb polymers in this image. Long, colorful DNA branches are attached to chemically modified chains. We observe the resulting molecules via fluorescence microscopy, which allows us to watch stretched DNA chains retract like elastic rubber bands (upper right and bottom insets; scale bars equal 2 microns and frames taken 2.5 seconds apart). With two-color labeling and imaging, we can track different parts of the molecule as time progresses. We study these molecules to better understand the impact of molecular structure in polymeric systems, such as everyday plastics, polymer-based drug delivery systems, and energy biomasses.

Type of Resource

• text
• image

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/75837

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2015 Danielle Mai

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