Does RNA naturally want to tangel itself? I have been analyzing the OpenTB results and have found that switches tend to like to have a nice long static stem in them and only have other segments switching kinda like a squid in the 2 state designs. In the 4 state designs I have found that this carries true but the best switches have some designs that are a bunched up ball that releases into a long stems. The bunched up ball is static though in the 1st 3 states. This is where I get to my question about whether RNA likes to tangel itself. I wonder if teh bunched up version will switch back adn forth easily compared to the designs were the 4th state just swapes out oligos in teh long static stems and maybe changes the static stem just alittle bit but not significantly. If RNA likes to naturally tangle itself then maybe those tangled designs will do better since there is alot of potential built up energy waiting to release and then when the 4th state oligos are removed the designs fales back into a ball easily. Or are both configurations just as good… The ones where the 4th state is just the long static stem in the first 3 states with swapped out oligos in the 4th state could switch very easily and be very strong at the same time since there is a small amount of collapse with hairpins forming and whatnot and squishing when switching between the 3rd and 4th state to accommodate the different oligos. I think that RNA behaves in a very mechanical way.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Pearl