Effect of electroelastic anisotropy of DNA-like molecules on their tertiary structure

Under certain conditions, mechanical forces can cause an anisotropic molecule like DNA to assume a toroidal spatial structure. A simple model describing such a behavior is suggested. The model incorporates anisotropic elastic energy and external electrical forces. The steady-state structures formed by a macromolecule have been studied numerically using this model. There exist ranges of model parameters, namely, the anisotropy of the elastic tensor, magnitude and orientation of forces, and modulation periods, where molecules have toroidal, spherical, or extended structures. Estimates of parameters characteristic of these structures are consistent with experimental data. In particular, the toroidal structure dimension corresponds to experimental dimensions of toroidal globules produced as a result of so-called PSI condensation of DNA molecules. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 2156–2168 (December 1997)