Genetic 'telepathy'? A bizarre new property of DNA

Here's one way to look at it: The molecules are trading more virtual photons because the resonant frequencies in the molecules are identical. Since energy always wants to balance itself between potential and kinetic when given a chance (Lagrange), then when given a chance, a system will convert excess potential energy into kinetic energy. In this case, this system is almost solely potential energy (in the form of matter) but the system has a chance to convert some of that potential energy to kinetic energy by moving the molecules closer together so that there can be more virtual photons. So that's what it does. I believe we'll find that the effect is far more pronounced at low temperature because the resonant frequencies will be more matched.

The molecules are trading more virtual photons because the resonant frequencies in the molecules are identical.

That may explain why the strands move. But how does that explain the direction of movement? What properties of molecular resonant frequencies would cause "like" strands to be attracted rather than say repulsed from each other?

And I wonder if someone could chime in as to the magnitude or importance of this effect when judged within the class of known mechanisms for DNA interaction.

Regardless. Assuming the experiment is sound, it looks like it will be a very interesting paper to read. And an interesting subject to investigate further.

So, kissing is a form of swapping genetic information too then, huh!?

very interesting explanation. Maybe there is something to it.

sounds like a variation of the casimir force problem. Maybe it's the minor groove interactions. Poly amide molecules "lexitropins" are able to bind to DNA double helices at their minor grooves. They are able to recognize the bases from the parts facing outward even when their innerparts are hydrogen bonded in double helical conformation.

yeah what he said

I wonder... Are the base pairs themselves electrically charged (having either an excess or dearth of electrons)? If so, do the opposite base pairs have an opposite charge? If so, then what happens if two strands of like DNA "see" each other magnetically?

Say you have a strand:

A-T
T-A
C-G
G-C
G-C
C-G
T-A

And then you take the exact same strand of DNA and line itself up with itself:

A-T A-T
T-A T-A
C-G C-G
G-C G-C
G-C G-C
C-G C-G
T-A T-A

Notice how the "opposite" bound base ends up next to the "original" base. If one assumes that the attractions are bi-directional (a C attracts G, so G attract C), then it's simply a matter of lining up opposite bases next to each other and having them attract one another (Electrically? Opposites attract).

Whereas if part of the strand were reversed, or sections were reversed, then some sections would NOT line up correctly, and might net a neutral or repulsive force (depending on rotational alignment along the axis, perhaps).

For example (using [yes] as attractive and [no] as repulsive):

(Original example)
A-T [Yes] A-T
T-A [Yes] T-A
C-G [Yes] C-G
G-C [Yes] G-C
G-C [Yes] G-C
C-G [Yes] C-G
T-A [Yes] T-A

more neutral sample:
A-T [No] T-A
T-A [Yes] G-C
C-G [No] T-A
G-C [No] C-G
G-C [Yes] G-C
C-G [Yes] C-G
T-A [No] A-T

The original example might have been highly attractive, whereas the second example (directly above) would be more mixed, composed of partly attractive pairings and slightly repulsive pairings. Thus it would not be as good a match as the more similar strand...

I'm tending to think of these as something more like an electric/magnetic "combination key." The more attractive pairings you get (in sequence), the more they are drawn together. The more "random" the pairings (the worse the sequential match), the less likely they are to be attracted? Or something like that...

But, maybe that's oversimplified? Makes sense to me, but may not work like that in reality.

^ That's kinda what I was thinking.

"...scientists observed the behavior of fluorescently tagged DNA strands placed in water"

Anybody know the properties of this fluorescent stuff? Possibly the behaviour is induced by the dyes?

This is really amazing!