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A model for the helix–coil transition of DNA
Author(s) -
Porta Jordi
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
international journal of quantum chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.484
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-461X
pISSN - 0020-7608
DOI - 10.1002/qua.560110105
Subject(s) - helix (gastropod) , function (biology) , phase transition , electromagnetic coil , superconductivity , physics , fermi gamma ray space telescope , dna , thermodynamics , condensed matter physics , phase (matter) , chemistry , statistical physics , quantum mechanics , biology , ecology , biochemistry , evolutionary biology , snail
The helix–coil phase transition of DNA is studied through a model equivalent to the one used in the theory of superconductivity. A distribution function for the excitations analogous to the usual Fermi function is obtained which depends on the parameter T 0 , the maximum temperature at which all pairs of bases are bonded. The expression for the number of unbonded pairs of bases depends only on the two parameters, T 0 and T c (critical temperature).