Infinity Symbol!! Makes you wonder about each time you see an infinity symbol in ancient architecture...

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Scientists use high resolution microscopy and computer simulations to create first ever video of DNA movements.

Paul Ratner
21 February, 2021

UK scientists create first ever video of DNA performing dance-like movements.

The visualization was accomplished using high resolution microscopy and computer simulations.

The advanced level of detail in the technology may lead to new therapies.

DNA makes dance-like movements inside cells, show new videos from researchers in UK's Universities of York, Sheffield and Leeds.

They developed footage using the highest resolution images of a single molecule of DNA ever taken, demonstrating how DNA inside cells can change shape.

Previous imaging of DNA, also known as Deoxyribonucleic acid, used microscopes that produced only static images. The videos now produced by the researchers employed advanced atomic force microscopy and supercomputer simulations to achieve the visualization feat.

The images exhibit a tremendous amount of detail, showing the position of each atom in the double helix structure of DNA as the molecules twist and turn.

The reason for the DNA writhing dance? The molecule needs to find a way to fit quite a lot inside a cell. Each human cell is comprised of about 2 meters of DNA strands. The whole body, with roughly 50 trillion cells, would have about 100 trillion meters of DNA. That's per human.

To make the fit possible, DNA resorts to twisting, turning and coiling.

In particular, the researchers examined DNA minicircles, where molecules are joined on both ends, forming a loop. The minicircles may be useful as indicators of health and aging, found previous research from Stanford. This structure allowed the scientists to visualize the twist of the molecules, making the DNA "dance."

In comparison to images of untwisted DNA, where little movement was observed, molecules with added twists became very dynamic and took on unusual shapes. These dance-like moves help the molecules to find binding partners for the DNA, concluded researchers. Trying a greater amount of shapes leads to a stronger likelihood of attracting another molecule.