The replication of DNA involves conformational changes are that are greatly affected by its mechanical properties. Tethering DNA has profound effects on its mechanical properties, but there are few studies that attempt to quantify this change. Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed and refined a technique that allows high-sensitivity force measurements of dynamic systems, and by applying it to single-stranded DNA they find that tethering affects the relaxation time by orders of magnitude……….
http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/tech/65222
