COMPUTER-SIMULATION OF DNA GEL-ELECTROPHORESIS - INFLUENCE OF SOLID FRICTION ON LINEAR AND CIRCULAR CHAINS

The effect of solid friction between DNA molecules and gel fibres duri ng gel electrophoresis has been studied using Brownian dynamics simula tions. To investigate the effect of the topology of the polyelectrolyt e chains, we have studied both linear and circular molecules. The resu lts show that the migration properties of linear molecules seem to be almost uneffected by solid friction. There is, however, a significant effect on the mobility of circular molecules of the same size. Increas ing the electric field strength increases the mobility of the linear m olecules while for the circular chains, the mobility goes through a ma ximum when friction is included.