"Truly Incredible" - Princeton Researchers Have Discovered a New Method To Reshape the Fabric of Life

By Princeton University, Engineering School
September 12, 2024

Scientists used light-activated droplets to reposition DNA, offering new insights into gene expression and disease treatment.

With the flick of a light, researchers have discovered a method to reshape the fabric of life, folding DNA strands back on themselves to reveal the material nature of the genome.

Scientists have long debated the physical nature of chromosomes – structures located deep within cells, made up of long DNA strands tightly wound around millions of proteins. Do they act more like a liquid, a solid, or something in between?

Much progress in understanding and treating disease depends on the answer.

A Princeton team has now developed a way to probe chromosomes and quantify their mechanical properties: how much force is required to move parts of a chromosome around and how well it snaps back to its original position. The answer to the material question, according to their findings, is that in some ways the chromosome acts like an elastic material and in other ways, it acts like a fluid. By leveraging that insight in exacting detail, the team was able to physically manipulate DNA in new and precisely controlled ways.

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https://scitechdaily.com/truly-incredible-princeton-researchers-have-discovered-a-new-method-to-reshape-the-fabric-of-life/