title: The effect of sequence heterogeneity on DNA melting kinetics.
abstract: We consider kinetics of the cooperative melting of DNA sections situated at the edge of the helix. Accurate calculations based on the real sequences of such sections demonstrate that their internal heterogeneity has a drastic effect on the melting kinetics. Allowance for the internal heterogeneity increases the relaxation time by several orders of magnitude as compared with a model based on the assumption of equal base-pair stability within a section. The relaxation times obtained are in good agreement with the experimental data of Suyama and Wada (A. Suyama and A. Wada, Biopolymers, 23, 409 (1984)). An analysis of the melting process revealed some simple sequence characteristics that determine its rate. An examination of the temperature dependence of the relaxation time led to a distinct interpretation of the apparent activation energies of the denaturation and renaturation. The relaxation time proved to reach its maximum near the equilibrium melting point of the section examined.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Genetics, USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Anshelevich
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Vologodskii
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D003090:Coliphages / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D004247:DNA