Infinitesimal bending of DNA helices

Abstract

The mathematics of DNA molecules is often studied as a double helix model. This paper focuses on the modelling of infinitesimal bending of DNA helices. The paper checks the flexibility of DNA molecule, i.e. the flexibility of double helix in infinitesimal bending theory. Actually, first, we find infinitesimal bending field of an arbitrary curve on the helicoid, that leaves bent curves on the helicoid, and show that helix bending on the helicoid is not possible. Finally, we deal with the infinitesimal bending of helicoid, using PDEs. Visualization of infinitesimal bending was done in Mathematica.