Learning Objectives:

1. To know the difference between "curved DNA", and "bent DNA".
 

2. To know how curved DNA was discovered.  (By anomalous migration of kinetoplast DNA on acrylamide gels.)
 

3. To be able to determine regions of strong curvature, based on the presence of A-tracts phased with the pitch of the helix.

4.  To be able to list the 3 commonly used methods for detecting DNA curvature.  (Gel electrophoresis, electron microscopy, and cyclization kinetics.)
 
 

 

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Last modified on: 2 February, 2000 by Dave Ussery