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Chiral Mesophases of DNA

Randall D. Kamien
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Abstract

In the hexagonal columnar phase of chiral polymers a bias towards cholesteric twist competes with braiding along an average direction. When the chirality is strong, topological defects proliferate, leading to either a tilt grain boundary phase or a new ``moire state'' with twisted bond order. This moire phase can melt leading to a new phase: the chiral hexatic. I will discuss some recent experimental results from the NIH on DNA liquid crystals in the context of these theories.

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Randall D. Kamien. 1998-12-08. Chiral Mesophases of DNA. https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/9812128

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