Abstract
A DNA nick plays a pivotal role in the bending and release of mechanical stress for double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA). However, it remains unclear how a DNA nick modulates the bendability of dsDNA. Here, we report that a single nick in 30 base‐pair dsDNA decreases the bending stiffness of dsDNA by 20%–30% and that the bendability of dsDNA depends on the applied bending force. To achieve this, we used D‐shaped DNA nanostructures and single‐molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer for measurement of the bending angle of dsDNA. We found that a nick in dsDNA under a bending force increases the bendability of dsDNA and the bending stiffness of dsDNA decreases further as the applied bending force is increased. Our results provide a new perspective for the effect of a nick on dsDNA mechanics, and the methods introduced here will be useful for investigating various biological processes involving DNA nicks.
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