Condensed Matter Seminars

DNA is not only a passive storage of life’s information but also a fascinating physical object, which actively participates in many biological processes of vital importance (e.g., DNA replication and organization). In aqueous solution, DNA is highly-negatively charged. By themselves, DNA molecules would repel each other. Also, they are molecular springs: DNA strands resist bending, twisting, stretching, and confinement. In a living cell, however, DNA is tightly packed and organized into higher-order structures. Perhaps, the most intriguing “show” DNA molecules display is their spatial organization or segregation, while maintaining a high level of compaction. How can this be accomplished? Using a simple but biology-inspired model of DNA, I will present a physical basis for DNA organization and segregation, especially in rod-shape bacteria.