Relaxation helps pack DNA into a virus
Tuesday, May 27, 2014 - 04:31
in Biology & Nature
DNA packs more easily into the tight confines of a virus when given a chance to relax. DNA is a long, unwieldy molecule that tends to repel itself because it is negatively charged, yet it can spool tightly. Within the heads of viruses, DNA can be packed to near crystalline densities, crammed in by a molecular motor.