We present a simple model which describes elastic response of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to stretching, including the regime of very high force (up to 1000 pN). ssDNA is modelled as a discrete persistent chain, whose ground state is a zigzag rather than a straight line configuration. This mimics the underlying molecular architecture and helps to explain the experimentally observed saturation of the stretching curve at very high force. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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