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Unzipping DNA - towards the first step of replication

Somendra M. Bhattacharjee
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Abstract

The opening of the Y-fork - the first step of DNA replication - is shown to be a critical phenomenon under an external force at one of its ends. From the results of an equivalent delocalization in a non-hermitian quantum-mechanics problem we show the different scaling behavior of unzipping and melting. The resultant long-range critical features within the unzipped part of Y might play a role in the highly correlated biochemical functions during replication.

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Somendra M. Bhattacharjee. 1999-12-16. Unzipping DNA - towards the first step of replication. https://doi.org/10.1088/0305-4470%2F33%2F48%2F501

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