The DNA molecule is usually thought of as a coded sequence of instructions written out in a long string which is folded tight to save space. But as was recently shown by physicists at Leiden University, the folding itself and mechanics of the molecule are also factors that influence how DNA works.
Now a team of Stanford researchers have come up with a way of measuring the orientation and movement of individual dyes labeling DNA, providing an insight into the nature of the molecule beyond its genetic sequence.
