DNA Resources
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(3.4 angstroms/base)
So every cell in your body has twice this or about 6 feet
of DNA if it were laid end to end!
x 3x109 bases
x 1 meter / (1010 angstroms)
= 1 meter
Left
Handed DNA Hall of Fame
and the
Right
Handed DNA Hall of Fame
to find out.
@article{Watson.Crick1953, author = "J. D. Watson and F. H. C. Crick", title = "Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid", journal = "Nature", volume = "171", pages = "737--738", year = "1953"}(The reference format above is in Bibtex format and therefore is computer parsable and can be used with the free LaTeX typesetting package.)
@article{Fujiyoshi.Uyeda1981, author = "Y. Fujiyoshi and N. Uyeda", title = "Direct imaging of a double-strand {DNA} molecule", journal = "Ultramicroscopy", volume = "7", pages = "189-192", year = "1981"}shows the right handed twist by direct imaging! as of 2000 July 12
@article{Harada.Kinosita2001, author = "Y. Harada and O. Ohara and A. Takatsuki and H. Itoh and N. Shimamoto and K. {Kinosita Jr}", title = "{Direct observation of DNA rotation during transcription by \emph{Escherichia coli} RNA polymerase}", journal = "Nature", volume = "409", pages = "113-115", year = "2001"}This paper describes a very cute experiment in which an RNA polymerase was attached to a surface. DNA was bound to the RNA polymerase. On the other end of the DNA was a magnetic bead with smaller fluorescent beads on it. A magnet was used to hold the big bead up. When ribonucleotides were added, the bead rotated. They say: "Up to a few percent of beads in an observation chamber rotated continuously ... invariably clockwise when viewed from [the] top ... Threading a right-handed double helix of DNA through RNA polymerase will, in a simple mechanism, produce clockwise rotation." as of 2001 January 12
I was at a genomics conference and someone had a tie on with a "left-handed helix" displayed and I happened to mention that fact to the wearer. I mentioned your web-site and we discussed it a bit, but the others at the table didn't quite realize what we were actually talking about at that time. We went on discussing "left-handed" sightings at seminars and the such. Then, the person next to me quietly nudged me, looking quite worried, and asked if I could help identify whether a helix were in the right- or left-handed orientation for him. He then rolled up his sleeve to show off the very fancy tattoo of a DNA helices he had banded around his bicep. Lucky for him, it was in the right-handed orientation. He had a sigh of relief after learning his tattoo was represented appropriately.Thanks to Gerard R Lazo, USDA-ARS-Western Regional Research Ctr, 800 Buchanan St, Albany, CA 94710-1105, lazo@pw.usda.gov, 2002 Feb 26
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origin: 1998 November 23
updated: 2012 Jun 06