We have investigated the dynamics of dilute ( 10(-5)C*) and semidilute ( le
ss than or equal to 6C*) DNA solutions both in steady and in the start-up o
f shear Row by combining fluorescence microscopy, bulk rheological measurem
ents. and Brownian dynamics simulations. First, the microscopic states, i.e
., the conformational dynamics of single DNA molecules in solution during t
he start-up of shear Row, were examined by fluorescence microscopy. To inve
stigate the macroscopic response resulting front the changes in the microsc
opic state, the bulk shear viscosity of the same DNA solutions was also mea
sured. While the transient dynamics of individual molecules is highly varia
ble, an overshoot in the ensemble-averaged molecular extension is observed
above a critical IM following an overshoot in shear viscosity for both dilu
te and semidilute DNA solutions. These two overshoots are further analyzed
and explained on a physical basis from our simulation findings. Based on th
e physical picture. we have derived a simple scaling to predict the strain
at which an overshoot in shear viscosity occurs. Next, to study the effect
of intermolecular interactions on the dynamics at steady state, the microsc
opic states of dilute and semidilute DNA solutions in steady shear Row were
experimentally examined. We find that, for both the steady and the start-u
p of shear flow, when time is scaled with the longest polymer relaxation ti
me. i.e., when we compare the chain dynamics at the same Wi, no measurable
change in the character of the individual chain dynamics is observed in DNA
solutions up to six times the overlap concentration(C*). (C) 2001 The Soci
ety of Rheology.