Abstract
We introduce a model of thermalized conformations in space of RNA—or single stranded DNA—molecules, which includes the possibility of hairpin formation. This model contains the usual secondary structure information, but extends it to the study of one element of the ternary structure, namely the end-to-end distance. The computed force-elongation characteristics are in good agreement with some recent measurements on single stranded DNA molecules.
- Received 12 June 2000
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.2178
©2001 American Physical Society
