Our understanding of the structure of DNA has taken a massive leap forward, thanks to new high-resolution images that reveal how much the molecule wriggles in order to squeeze itself into cell nuclei.
The new images, from the journal Nature Communications, allowed researchers to observe individual atoms within a DNA molecule, tracking their movement as they move in dance-like motions.
The new images reveal that the DNA is much more dynamic than previously thought.
It constantly dances in order to form diverse shapes. And the more unusual shapes a molecule adopts, the more opportunities it has to bind with other substrates, increasing its capacity to carry out various functions.