DNA as active polymer: long-range allosteric effect and chromatin loop structure Original Research Article

We investigated on a possible relation between DNA elasticity and eukaryotic chromosome structure. We find, by Benham model, that (1) there exists long-range allosteric structural transition on a topologically-constrained DNA; (2) this effect seems to interplay with chromosome structure and gene regulation. We conclude that DNA, as an active polymer, may utilize its elastic properties to facilitate some cellular processes.