Estimating Persistence Length of ssDNA using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy and Computer Simulation

James Byrne, GSSM

School Name

Governor's School for Science and Mathematics

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Physics

Presentation Type

Mentored

Written Paper Award

3rd Place

Abstract

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), along with computer calculations, was used in order to obtain a relationship between the persistence length of ssDNA, specifically small chains of thymine, and the concentration of Mg2+ ions in the solution along with the ssDNA. The computer simulation generated and averaged chains of different diffusion lengths, then using the program HYDRO, compared these generated chains to the data collected from the FCS. By doing this, we found that the Mg2+ ions had a large decrease in both the diffusion coefficient and persistence length between the concentrations of 〖10〗^(-4) M and 〖10〗^(-3) M and was relatively stable at other ion concentrations.

Location

Neville 306

Start Date

4-14-2018 11:15 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

COinS
 
Apr 14th, 11:15 AM

Estimating Persistence Length of ssDNA using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy and Computer Simulation

Neville 306

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), along with computer calculations, was used in order to obtain a relationship between the persistence length of ssDNA, specifically small chains of thymine, and the concentration of Mg2+ ions in the solution along with the ssDNA. The computer simulation generated and averaged chains of different diffusion lengths, then using the program HYDRO, compared these generated chains to the data collected from the FCS. By doing this, we found that the Mg2+ ions had a large decrease in both the diffusion coefficient and persistence length between the concentrations of 〖10〗^(-4) M and 〖10〗^(-3) M and was relatively stable at other ion concentrations.