Attraction between DNA molecules mediated by multivalent ions
arXiv:cond-mat/0311324 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.69.041904
Abstract
The effective force between two parallel DNA molecules is calculated as a function of their mutual separation for different valencies of counter- and salt ions and different salt concentrations. Computer simulations of the primitive model are used and the shape of the DNA molecules is accurately modelled using different geometrical shapes. We find that multivalent ions induce a significant attraction between the DNA molecules whose strength can be tuned by the averaged valency of the ions. The physical origin of the attraction is traced back either to electrostatics or to entropic contributions. For multivalent counter- and monovalent salt ions, we find a salt-induced stabilization effect: the force is first attractive but gets repulsive for increasing salt concentration. Furthermore, we show that the multivalent-ion-induced attraction does not necessarily correlate with DNA overcharging.
51 pages and 13 figures
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- Aggregation Dynamics of Rigid Polyelectrolytes
- The effect of confinement on the interaction between two like-charged rods
- Ionic Cloud Distribution close to a Charged Surface in the Presence of Salt
- Statistical mechanics of columnar DNA assemblies
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- Calculating potential of mean force between like-charged nanoparticles: a comprehensive study on salt effects
- Multi-shell model of ion-induced nucleic acid condensation
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- DNA-condensation, redissolution and mesocrystals induced by tetravalent counterions
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- Structural correlations and phase separation in binary mixtures of charged and uncharged colloids
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- Structural correlations in highly asymmetric binary charged colloidal mixtures