The proportions of a DNA molecule in a human cell are
equivalent to a 2000-mile-long rope packed inside the Millennium
Dome. When DNA replicates, it spins at an astonishing 10 turns per
second. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that DNA can become highly
twisted, super-coiled and even knotted! To understand this
phenomenon, the molecular biologist must grapple with the mathematical
concepts of twisting, writhing and knotting. Armed with this
mathematical knowledge, researchers can even use an enzyme to tie a
knot in the DNA molecule to discover more about its biochemistry.
In this highly-illustrated talk we will experiment
with strings and rubber bands (bring your own!) to explore the
geometrical rules which underlie the transmission our genetic
code.
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