Can you explain how vigorous vortex-ing can damage DNA?

[Ahmed Abdullah]

I want to know what is happening at micro-level, how macroscopic tumbling of the solution can actually break a chemical bond?

 

[Borek]

Mechanically - it is not different to what happens when you break the stick.

 

[Ahmed Abdullah]

In breaking a stick it is easy to see what are the forces and how they are working. what are the forces involved in breaking of a DNA strand by vortexing. Do the collision rate and energy increase during vigorous vortexing of the solution?

 

[Borek]

Different parts of the vortex move at different speeds, DNA molecules are quite long, if different parts of the molecule move at different speeds, it means forces acting on the molecule.

 

[Ahmed Abdullah]

Different parts of the vortex move at different speeds, DNA molecules are quite long, if different parts of the molecule move at different speeds, it means forces acting on the molecule.

That make sense.

 

[Ahmed Abdullah]

Different parts of the vortex move at different speeds, DNA molecules are quite long, if different parts of the molecule move at different speeds, it means forces acting on the molecule.

DNA is a very long molecule but it become very small when packaged into chromosome. Chromosome is not only DNA but also protein packaged together. Do you think vigorous vortexing can break compact structure like chromosome? (Vigorous vortexing in usual sense)

 

[Ahmed Abdullah]

I am quite surprised that vortexing can break any bond at all. DNA is an extraordinary long molecule .. that's why it is conceivable . Do protein break in this way? Any example of protein breakage by vortex (not denaturing which can occur because of foam formation during vortex-ing).