The influence of DNA shape fluctuations on fluorescence resonance energy transfer efficiency measurements in nucleosomes

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Lucia Lenz - , Leiden University, University of Freiburg (Author)
  • Maurice Hoenderdos - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Peter Prinsen - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Helmut Schiessel - , Leiden University (Author)

Abstract

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements allow one to observe site exposure in nucleosomes, i.e. the transient unwrapping of a part of the wrapped DNA from the histone octamer. In such experiments one can typically distinguish between a closed state and an open state but in principle one might hope to detect several states, each corresponding to a certain number of open binding sites. Here we show that even in an ideal FRET setup it would be hard to detect unwrapping states with intermediate levels of FRET efficiencies. As the unwrapped DNA molecule, modelled here as a wormlike chain, has a finite stiffness, shape fluctuations smear out FRET signals completely from such intermediate states.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number064104
JournalJournal of Physics Condensed Matter
Volume27
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - 18 Feb 2015
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 25564291

Keywords

Keywords

  • DNA, FRET, nucleosome