DNA Unzipping Transition
arXiv:2506.24064 · doi:10.1140/epjb/s10051-025-01028-8
Abstract
This review focuses on the force-induced unzipping transition of double-stranded DNA. It begins with a brief history of DNA melting, which emerged alongside the growth of the field of molecular biology, juxtaposed with the advancements in physics during the same post-World War II period. The earlier theories of melting of DNA were based on the Ising model and its modifications, but gradually moved towards polymer-based models. The idea of force-induced unzipping was first introduced in 1999 as a cooperative mechanism for breaking base pairs without the need for temperature changes. The paper discusses several subsequent developments addressing different aspects of the unzipping transition.
For EPJ B Topical Issue: 100 Glorious Years of the Ising Model
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