Mechanical Properties of DNA Replication

Successful DNA replication requires significant mathematical and physical constraints to be met. The helical structure of DNA results in interwound replicated strands of DNA causing over twisting in the unreplicated portion of DNA presenting a significant topological barrier to cellular division. Though the basic conceptual elements of this process have long been known the necessary physics has just recently been developed. In this work, we outline the basic mathematical and physical properties of an idealized DNA replication process. The resulting framework makes predictions on the relative concatenation of replicated DNA and supercoiled unreplicated DNA generated during replication. These elements are central in understanding the mechanical nature of the replication machinery as well as in transcription replication conflicts.