Poland-Scheraga models and the DNA denaturation transition
Statistical Mechanics
2008-08-28 v3 q-bio
Abstract
Poland-Scheraga models were introduced to describe the DNA denaturation transition. We give a rigorous and refined discussion of a family of these models. We derive possible scaling functions in the neighborhood of the phase transition point and review common examples. We introduce a self-avoiding Poland-Scheraga model displaying a first order phase transition in two and three dimensions. We also discuss exactly solvable directed examples. This complements recent suggestions as to how the Poland-Scheraga class might be extended in order to display a first order transition, which is observed experimentally.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0302514,
title = {Poland-Scheraga models and the DNA denaturation transition},
author = {C. Richard and A. J. Guttmann},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0302514},
year = {2008}
}
Comments
23 pages, 4 figures; v2: new section 2.4, changes in introduction and conclusion; v3: major changes, version as published