Why do DNA loops forming different knot types sediment at different speeds? Researchers from SIB, UNIL and EPFL joined forces with Polish colleagues to answer this question. To their surprise, what they observed closely resembled another, fascinating physics phenomenon, namely the way smoke rings behave in the air. This would certainly have pleased Lord Kelvin, who was among the first scientists to study their behavior. The results, published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Letters, could improve our understanding of the shape and function of biomolecules.

Tell me your knot type, and I will tell how you were formed