The equilibrium shapes of a closed DNA are investigated by employing a model of a thin, homogeneous, isotropic, linearly elastic rod of circular cross section. An equilibrium configuration of such an initially straight and twisted rod, submitted to external forces and moments at its ends only, obeys equations identical to those governing the rotation of a symmetric gyrostat spinning about a fixed point in a gravitational field (the Kirchhoff analogy). To represent the equilibrium of the looped DNA, the model rod must be smoothly closed into a ring. The corresponding BVP results in a system of four nonlinear equations with respect to four parameters. The perturbation analysis and the parameter continuation approach are used to find nonplanar solutions. The conformation change is discussed for various values of parameters.

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