Physical Properties of Topologically Linked Polymers

There is interest in the soft materials community about the relationship between the molecular topology of polymer chains and the physical properties of polymeric materials. Kinetoplast DNA is a naturally occurring network of topologically linked (catenated) circular molecules, akin to molecular chainmail. Complete kinetoplasts form curved sheets that have been studied in the context of two-dimensional soft materials. Kinetoplasts can be broken into smaller catenated molecular structures using either restriction enzyme digestion or photodisintegration, leaving a population of large and small structures. Here, we report on recent work examining the properties of these smaller topologically linked structures, using fluorescence microscopy, nanopore sensing, and atomic force microscopy.