FIGURE 7.

Results of fitting FWLC solution predictions to the classic WLC solution. The fitted value of the persistence length p_∞ is shown as a function of contour length L. The polymer persistence length is p = 50 nm. (A) No bead. The different curves correspond to the unconstrained, half-constrained, and perpendicular boundary conditions at both ends of the chain. The apparent p decreases most for the half-constrained boundary conditions. The apparent persistence length decreases by >10 nm as L decreases from 10⁵ to 100 nm. (B) One or two beads attached to the chain ends, with half-constrained boundary conditions at both ends of the chain.