@Article{mcb.2006.003.013,
AUTHOR = {Jizeng  Wang, Xiaojun  Fan, Huajian  Gao},
TITLE = {Stretching Short DNAs in Electrolytes},
JOURNAL = {Molecular \& Cellular Biomechanics},
VOLUME = {3},
YEAR = {2006},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {13--20},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/mcb/v3n1/28424},
ISSN = {1556-5300},
ABSTRACT = {This paper is aimed at a combined theoretical and numerical study of the force-extension relation of a short DNA molecule stretched in an electrolyte. A theoretical formula based on a recent discrete wormlike chain (WLC) model of Kierfeld et al. (<i>Eur. Phys. J. E</i>, Vol. 14, pp.17-34, 2004) and the classical OSF mean-field theory on electrostatic stiffening of a charged polymer is numerically verified by a set of Brownian dynamics simulations based on a generalized bead-rod (GBR) model incorporating long-ranged electrostatic interactions via the Debye-Hueckel potential (DH). The analysis indicates that the stretching of a short DNA can be well described as a WLC with a constant effective persistent length. This contrasts the behavior of long DNA chains that are known to exhibit variable persistent lengths depending on the ion concentration levels and force magnitudes.},
DOI = {10.3970/mcb.2006.003.013}
}