de Vries R
Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science and Food Physics Group, Department of Agiotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Bomenwegz, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Biophys J. 2001 Mar;80(3):1186-94. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(01)76095-X.
A simple semi-empirical theory is developed for the ionic strength dependence of the flexible polymer-induced condensation of semiflexible polyelectrolytes such as DNA and F-actin filaments. Critical concentrations of flexible polymer needed for condensation are calculated by comparing the free energies of inserting the semiflexible polyelectrolytes in a solution of flexible polymers, respectively, in their free state, and in their condensed state. Predictions of the theory are compared to experimental data on the condensation of DNA and F-actin filaments induced by the flexible polymer poly(ethylene oxide). The theory also predicts that reentrant decollapse is possible at low ionic strength and high concentrations of flexible polymer, as observed for DNA.
针对柔性聚合物诱导的半柔性聚电解质(如DNA和F-肌动蛋白丝)凝聚的离子强度依赖性,开发了一种简单的半经验理论。通过比较半柔性聚电解质分别处于自由状态和凝聚状态时,插入柔性聚合物溶液中的自由能,计算出凝聚所需的柔性聚合物的临界浓度。将该理论的预测结果与关于柔性聚合物聚环氧乙烷诱导DNA和F-肌动蛋白丝凝聚的实验数据进行了比较。该理论还预测,在低离子强度和高浓度柔性聚合物的情况下,可能会出现折返解聚,这与DNA的情况一致。