Production and Modeling of DNA Toroidal Condensates Via Liquid Crystal Theory

Genomic organization conformations are widely studied in all cells, and bacteriophages offer simpler systems to study genomic packing. Experimental studies on phage capsids have found encapsidated toroidal DNA condensates. In vitro DNA condensation into toroids is the simplest condensation system allowing analysis on toroidal shapes and dimensions under various energetic penalties. A mathematical model for a DNA toroid was developed and verified alongside experimental production and cryo-electron microscopic imaging of DNA toroids subject to pre-linearization.