Optical tweezers have become the method of choice in single-molecule manipulation
studies. In this Primer, we first review the physical principles of optical tweezers and the …

The twin-supercoiled-domain model describes how transcription can drive DNA
supercoiling, and how DNA supercoiling, in turn, plays an important role in regulating gene …

DNA encodes genetic information and forms various structural conformations with distinct
physical, chemical, and biological properties. Over the past 30 years, advancements in force …

DNA torsional elastic properties play a crucial role in DNA structure, topology, and the
regulation of motor protein progression. However, direct measurements of these parameters …

Methods for exerting and measuring forces on single molecules have revolutionized the
study of the physics of biology. However, it is often the case that biological processes involve …

The angular optical trap (AOT) is a powerful instrument for measuring the torsional and
rotational properties of a biological molecule. Thus far, AOT studies of DNA torsional …

The angular optical trap (AOT) is a powerful technique for measuring the DNA topology and
rotational mechanics of fundamental biological processes. Realizing the full potential of the …

Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) derived from chromosomal Ty retrotransposons
in yeast can be generated in multiple ways. Ty eccDNA can arise from the circularization of …

The characterization of three-dimensional inhomogeneous illumination fields is a challenge
in modern microscopy. Here we use a four-arm DNA junction as a nanomechanical …

The optical torque wrench is a laser trapping technique that expands the capability of
standard optical tweezers to torque manipulation and measurement, using the laser linear …