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Science 9 February 1996:
Vol. 271. no. 5250, pp. 792 - 794
DOI: 10.1126/science.271.5250.792
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Reports

DNA: An Extensible Molecule

Philippe Cluzel,  Anne Lebrun,  Christoph Heller (1),  Richard Lavery,  Jean-Louis Viovy,  Didier Chatenay (2),  François Caron (3)

The force-displacement response of a single duplex DNA molecule was measured. The force saturates at a plateau around 70 piconewtons, which ends when the DNA has been stretched about 1.7 times its contour length. This behavior reveals a highly cooperative transition to a state here termed S-DNA. Addition of an intercalator suppresses this transition. Molecular modeling of the process also yields a force plateau and suggests a structure for the extended form. These results may shed light on biological processes involving DNA extension and open the route for mechanical studies on individual molecules in a previously unexplored range.


P. Cluzel, C. Heller, J.-L. Viovy, Institut Curie [URA Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) 448 and 1379], 11-13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 75005, France.
A. Lebrun and R. Lavery, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique (URA77 CNRS), Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 13 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 75005, France.
D. Chatenay, LUDFC, Institut de Physique, 3 Rue de l'Université, Strasbourg 67084, France.
F. Caron, Ecole Normale Superieure, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire (URA CNRS 1302), 46 Rue d'Ulm, Paris 75230, France.
(1) Permanent address: Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Genetik, Ihnestraße 73, D-14195 Berlin-Dahlem, Germany.
(2) Present address: Rockefeller University, Box 265, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA.
(3) To whom correspondence should be addressed.


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)