The persistence exponent of DNA

Biophysical Chemistry
Douglas Poland

Abstract

Using the complete genome of Thermoplasma volcanium, as an example, we have examined the distribution functions for the amount of C or G in consecutive, non-overlapping blocks of m bases in this system. We find that these distributions are very much broader (by many factors) than those expected for a random distribution of bases. If we plot the widths of the C-G distributions relative to the widths expected for random distributions, as a function of the block size used, we obtain a power law with a characteristic exponent. The broadening of the C-G distributions follows from the empirical finding that blocks containing a given C-G content tend to be followed by blocks of similar C-G content thus indicating a statistical persistence of composition. The exponent associated with the power law thus measures the strength of persistence in a given DNA. This behavior can be understood using Mandelbrot's model of a fractional Brownian walk. In this model there is a hierarchy of persistence (correlation between blocks) between all parts of the system. The model gives us a way to scale the C-G distributions such that all these functions are collapsed onto a master curve. For a fractional Brownian walk, the fractal dimension of the C-G di...Continue Reading

References

Apr 30, 2003·Biopolymers·Douglas Poland

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Citations

May 24, 2005·Biophysical Chemistry·Douglas Poland
Apr 12, 2005·Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B·Jun Cheng, Lin-Xi Zhang
Jun 2, 2007·Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B·Jun ChengLin-xi Zhang
Mar 4, 2009·Biophysical Chemistry·Douglas Poland
Dec 2, 2004·Biophysical Chemistry·Douglas Poland
Jan 18, 2006·Haemophilia : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Hemophilia·J WindygaA B Szczepanik
Jun 4, 2008·Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics·J M SmithE Jakeman

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