A computer simulation model for analysis of conformation of nuclear chromatin and of the transcription process

Based on experimental data (see Lindigkeit et al., 1974) an algorithmic computer model was devised with the following parameters: (a) nbr. and position of hypothetic blocker sites at the DNA which inhibit transcription in such a manner that distinct RNA chain lengths arise; (2) time depending probability functions that a polymerase molecule (p.m.) is able to pass a blocker site; (3) time depending rate of viability of synthetizing p.m. and (4) distribution of the p.m. on the template at the time t0. For comparison between observed and computed results 3 parameters are used: (1) distribution of chain lengths of RNA molecules in vitro synthetized; (2) their total amount and (3) the number of active p.m. By means of comparisons between computed and experimental results it is possible to test hypotheses about internal structural and functional parameters of the system under investigation, e.g. estimation of the rel. influence of template vs. p.m. characters in the transcription process, hypotheses about the type of distribution of p.m. at time t0, their initiation and salt depending removal probability of the blocker structures.