A simple model of DNA denaturation and mutually avoiding walks statistics |
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Authors: | M Baiesi E Carlon E Orlandini AL Stella |
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Institution: | INFM - Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Padova, I-35131 Padova, Italy, IT Theoretische Physik, Universit?t des Saarlandes, 66041 Saarbrücken, Germany, DE
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Abstract: | Recently Garel, Monthus and Orland Europhys. Lett. 55, 132 (2001)] considered a model of DNA denaturation in which excluded volume effects within each strand are neglected, while
mutual avoidance is included. Using an approximate scheme they found a first order denaturation. We show that a first order
transition for this model follows from exact results for the statistics of two mutually avoiding random walks, whose reunion
exponent is c > 2, both in two and three dimensions. Analytical estimates of c due to the interactions with other denaturated loops, as well as numerical calculations, indicate that the transition is
even sharper than in models where excluded volume effects are fully incorporated. The probability distribution of distances
between homologous base pairs decays as a power law at the transition.
Received 8 July 2002 / Received in final form 25 July 2002 Published online 17 September 2002 |
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Keywords: | PACS 87 14 Gg DNA RNA – 05 70 Jk Critical point phenomena – 05 70 Fh Phase transitions: general studies – 87 15 Aa Theory and modeling computer simulation |
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