Unexpected slowdowns or spikes in this signal were often interpreted as knots in DNA. But now, a new study published Aug. 12 ...

DNA doesn’t knot under stress. A new study finds it coils into plectonemes, reshaping models of genome mechanics. For decades ...

It's been more than 50 years since James Watson and Francis Crick showed that DNA is a double helix of two strands that complement each other. But how does a short piece of DNA find its match, out ...

DNA is a linear biopolymer, a compound biomolecule in the form of a double helix. Polymers are made of monomers, and in DNA, these monomers are called nucleotides or nucleobases. The enzymes that ...

To prepare the 46 chromosomes of a human cell for transport to the daughter cells during cell division, each chromosome forms a compact X-shaped structure with two rod-like copies. How the cell ...

As the DNA supercoils inside the nucleus, it twists and folds in different forms. Imagine twisting that telephone cord mentioned at the beginning, several times on itself.

Mathematical biologist Mariel Vazquez studies shapes and their abilities to transform. Her work could help uncover cancer therapies, new materials for electronics, and more.

For the first time, researchers can see how proteins grab loops of DNA and bundle them for cell division. The discovery also hints at how the genome folds to regulate gene expression.

Nano plumbing: An artistic rendering showing how DNA nanotubes could connect artificial cells. (Courtesy: Schulman Lab, Johns Hopkins University) Synthetic cells, engineered to mimic some of the ...