Diffusional migration of replication protein A on single stranded DNA under tension

Replication Protein A (RPA) is an essential single stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein that coordinates almost all DNA metabolic processes including DNA replication, repair, and recombination. RPA is a heterotrimeric protein composed of RPA70, RPA32 and RPA14 subunits and can be further classified into six functional oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide (OB) domains connected by flexible linkers. The flexibility enables RPA to adopt multiple configurations on the DNA and is thought to dictate its functional specificity.