A growth model for RNA secondary structures

François David1, Christian Hagendorf2, Kay Jörg Wiese2
1SPhT-Service de Physique Théorique, CEA/Saclay - 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
2CNRS-Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France

Abstract

A hierarchical model for the growth of planar arch structures for RNA secondary structures is presented, and shown to be equivalent to a tree-growth model. Both models can be solved analytically, giving access to scaling functions for large molecules, and corrections to scaling, checked by numerical simulations of up to 6500 bases. The equivalence of both models should be helpful in understanding more general tree-growth processes.


arXiv:0711.3421 (q-bio.BM) [pdf]
J. Stat. Mech. (2008) P04008 [pdf]


Copyright (C) by Kay Wiese. Last edited March 17, 2008.