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Unzipping dsDNA with a force: scaling theory

Jeff Z. Y. Chen

cond-mat.stat-mecharXiv:cond-mat/0111462

Abstract

A double stranded DNA molecule under the stress of a pulling force acting on the strand terminals exhibits a partially denatured structure or can be completely unzipped depending the magnitude of the pulling force. A scaling argument for relationships amongst basic length scales is presented that takes into account the heterogeneity of the sequence. The result agrees with our numerical simulation data, which provides a critical test of the power laws in the unzipping transition region.

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