Biopolym. Cell. 1988; 4(2):85-90.
http://dx.doi.org/10.7124/bc.000216
Structure and Function of Biopolymers
Topological characteristics of circular DNA: excluded volume effects
1Klenin K. V., 1Vologodskii A. V., 1Anshelevich V. V., 2Dykhne A. M., 1Frank-Kamenetskii M. D.
  1. Institute of Molecular Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the USSR
    Moscow, USSR
  2. I. V. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy
    Moscow, USSR

Abstract

The Monte Carlo method is used to calculate the probability p of knots formation, the variance of the writhing number <Wr2> and the expansion factor α for a closed polymer chain as a function of its effective diameter d. The results are presented in a form of simple interpolation equations and applied for DNA. The dependence of DNA super-helix energy on its effective diameter is evaluated. Theory predicts significant dependence of the superhelix energy on ionic strength.
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