2001/02/07 by H. Schiessel, Helmut Schießel, J. Widom +5 · 4 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry #Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics #RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms #cond-mat.soft #q-bio.BM
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.86.4414
9 pages, including 2 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. Lett
arxiv created 2001/02/07 · openalex publication_date 2001/05/07 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We consider how beads can diffuse along a chain that wraps them, without becoming displaced from the chain; our proposed mechanism is analogous to the reptation of "stored length" in more familiar situations of polymer dynamics. The problem arises in the case of globular aggregates of proteins (histones) that are wound by DNA in the chromosomes of plants and animals; these beads (nucleosomes) are multiply wrapped and yet are able to reposition themselves over long distances, while remaining bound by the DNA chain.