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Charge transport in a DNA model with solvent interaction.
H Ngoubi1, G H Ben-Bolie2, T C Kofané3
1Laboratory of Biophysics, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon. henockngoubi@yahoo.fr.
Journal of Biological Physics
|July 5, 2018
Summary
Solvent interactions influence charge transport in DNA, enabling robust, localized soliton-like waves for efficient information transfer. However, strong solvent effects can disrupt these patterns, hindering signal transmission.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Computational Biology
- Molecular Dynamics
Background:
- Charge transport in DNA is crucial for biological processes.
- Understanding DNA dynamics requires considering nucleotide coupling and solvent effects.
- Nonlinear phenomena, like solitons, are proposed mechanisms for information transfer in DNA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate charge transport in a modified DNA model.
- To analyze the impact of solvent interactions on charge migration.
- To explore the generation and properties of soliton-like excitations in DNA.
Main Methods:
- Continuum approximation to reduce DNA dynamics to coupled nonlinear equations.
- Linear stability analysis of wave solutions.
- Numerical simulations to study wave patterns and localized structures.
- Investigating the influence of the solvent factor on charge transport.
Main Results:
- Modulational instability of plane waves and generation of soliton-like excitations were observed.
- Solvent interactions modify wave patterns and properties of localized structures.
- Solitons exist with solvent effects, showing robust propagation.
- High solvent factor values can cause localized structures to disappear, disrupting information transmission.
Conclusions:
- Solvent effects play a significant role in DNA charge transport dynamics.
- Soliton-like excitations are viable for efficient, localized information transfer in DNA.
- The presence and strength of solvent interactions determine the robustness and perceptibility of information within DNA.
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