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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 25: Focus: Charge Effects in Soft and Biological Matter I (joint CPP, BP, ST)
BP 25.5: Vortrag
Donnerstag, 25. März 2010, 12:30–12:45, H45
DNA: charge localisation and pathogenesis. — Chi-Tin Shih1, Yun-Yin Cheng1, •Stephen A Wells2, Rudolf A Römer2, and Ching Ling3 — 1Department of Physics, Tunghai University, 40704 Taichung, Taiwan and The National Center for Theoretical Sciences, 30013 Hsinchu, Taiwan — 2Department of Physics and Centre for Scientific Computing, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK — 3Department of Physics, Chung-Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, Taiwan
We present results from transfer-matrix modelling of charge localisation and transport in DNA sequences, using tight-binding models at several levels of detail. With parallel computing resources we are able to examine the variation in local charge-transport properties along sequences of hundreds of thousands of base pairs, covering entire genes. This has allowed us to survey large numbers of human genes for which databases of pathogenic mutations exist; we consider both cancer-related genes and those associated with other forms of genetic disorder.
Examining the correlations between charge transport (CT) properties and the sites where pathogenic mutations are observed, we find a statistically significant correlation between pathogenesis and below-average changes in CT properties. We discuss the interpretation of our results in the context of DNA physics and chemistry, and of possible cellular mechanisms for DNA damage avoidance, detection and repair.