Multiplicity of 're-entrant' cholesteric structures in DNA liquid-crystalline dispersions

Yu.M. Yevdokimov^†^a, S.G. Skuridin^a, V.I. Salyanov^a, S.V. Semenov^b, E.I. Kats^c
^aEngelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov str. 32, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
^bNational Research Centre ‘Kurchatov Institute’, pl. akad. Kurchatova 1, Moscow, 123182, Russian Federation
^cLandau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, prosp. Akademika Semenova 1A, Chernogolovka, Moscow Region, 142432, Russian Federation

The results of investigations of the properties of liquid-crystalline dispersions of DNA molecules formed in their phase exclusion are systematized. The influence of temperature and osmotic pressure on the structure of these molecules has been elucidated in the framework of the concept of 'quasinematc' layers of orientationally ordered DNA molecules in dispersed particles. A new hexagonal → 're-entrant' cholesteric packing phase transition of DNA molecules discovered by the authors is described, taking into account the generalized Lindemann criterion. The multiplicity of the 're-entrant' phases and their structure are shown to depend on the characteristics of DNA and water-polymer solutions.

Keywords: DNA, liquid-crystalline dispersions, circular dichroism, textures, intercalators, `re-entrant' phases, Lindemann criterion
PACS: 61.30.Eb, 64.70.M−, 82.70.−y (all)
DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2020.09.038843
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2021/9/d/
Web of Science

000722209600004
Scopus

2-s2.0-85120777969
Citation: Yevdokimov Yu M, Skuridin S G, Salyanov V I, Semenov S V, Kats E I "Multiplicity of 're-entrant' cholesteric structures in DNA liquid-crystalline dispersions" Phys. Usp. 64 947–963 (2021)

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Received: 23rd, June 2020, revised: 22nd, July 2020, accepted: 28th, September 2020

Оригинал: Евдокимов Ю М, Скуридин С Г, Салянов В И, Семёнов С В, Кац Е И «Множественность "возвратных" холестерических структур в жидкокристаллических дисперсиях ДНК» УФН 191 999–1015 (2021); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2020.09.038843