Biophysics of DNA

The monograph surveys the research results over the last 60 years. It describes the physical properties of DNA in the context of its biological functioning. The book, published in 2015 by Cambridge University Press, is designed to enable both students and researchers of molecular biology, biochemistry, and physics to better understand the biophysics of DNA, addressing key questions and facilitating further research.

The chapters integrate theoretical and experimental approaches, emphasizing throughout the importance of a quantitative knowledge of physical properties in building and analyzing models of DNA functioning. For example, the book shows how the relationship between DNA mechanical properties and the sequence specificity of DNA-protein binding can be analyzed quantitatively by using our current knowledge of the physical and structural properties of DNA. Theoretical models and experimental methods in the field are critically considered to enable the reader to engage effectively with the current scientific literature on the physical properties of DNA.

The book has been reviewed by Mark Williams in Acta Crystallographica D 72: 599-600 (2016). doi:10.1107/S2059798316003181