EVALUATION OF THE TENSION ON DNA-SEGMENTS IN THE LAKES-STRAITS MODEL

We consider DNA gel electrophoresis in the framework of the lakes-stra its model, proposed by Zinim in Phys. Rev. Lett. 61, 2965 (1988) and J . Chem. Phys. 94, 2187 (1889). Here we evaluate the tension on a Gauss ian chain-fragment confined in a lake, by accounting for its variable length. Through numerical simulations we find that the precise form of the tension is very important for the calculation of the absolute val ue of the mobility of the chain and that it is of minor importance for establishing the frequency-dependence of the mobility.