Bending short DNAs as transversely isotropic rings in series

Abstract

Despite the significance of the high flexibility exhibited by short DNAs, there remains an incomplete understanding of their anomalous persistence length. In this study, we propose a novel approach wherein each fundamental characteristic of gene sequences within short DNAs is modeled as a transversely isotropic ring. Our comprehensive model analysis not only successfully replicates the observed high flexibility of short DNAs but also sheds light on the impact of sequence dependence, aligning with experimental findings. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that the bending behavior of short DNAs can be effectively described by the Timoshenko beam theory, accounting for shear considerations.