November 21 – R. Phillips, Caltech: "Mechanics of DNA Packing and Ejection in Viruses"

Abstract: A new generation of single molecule experiments have made it possible to study individual macromolecules and their assemblies in exquisite detail. One set of informative and beautiful experiments concern

the life cycle of bacterial viruses and, in particular, how the genetic material gets in the virus during its assembly in the infected bacterium. A second set of experiments have now begun to address the inverse process during viral infection where the genetic material of the virus enters the bacterium. This talk will describe these experiments and

models that have been put forth to greet them using simple ideas from elasticity theory and the theory of polyelectrolytes. These models have a number of experimental consequences that are currently being explored and will be described.