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SUMMARY:Computer simulations of knotted DNA and proteins - Virnau\, P (Joh
 annes Gutenberg-Universitt Mainz\, Germany)
DTSTART:20120904T123000Z
DTEND:20120904T131000Z
UID:TALK39517@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mustapha Amrani
DESCRIPTION:When mature bacteriophages such as P2 or P4 are assembled in i
 nfected cells\, a long linear DNA molecule is loaded into the phage capsid
  and arranges itself in a toroidal\, nematic phase. Intriguingly\, experim
 ents show that the DNA is not only highly knotted\, but also exhibits a ra
 ther uncommon knot spectrum. Observation that DNA molecules in bacteriopha
 ge capsids preferentially form torus knots provide a sensitive gauge to ev
 aluate various models of DNA arrangement in phage heads. We demonstrate wi
 th computer simulations of a simple bead-spring model that an increasing c
 hain stiffness not only leads to nematic ordering and a (somewhat counter-
 intuitive) increase of knottedness\, it is also the decisive factor in pro
 moting formation of DNA torus knots in phage capsids. In the second part o
 f my presentation I will review recent and not so recent advances in the u
 nderstanding and modelling of protein knots.\n\n
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
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