title: Computing by polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: A mathematical notation is introduced to represent, at a symbolic level, different mechanisms of DNA recombination, and a 'PCR lemma' is proven by analytically describing the combinatorial properties of the polymerase chain reaction process. This approach led to the discovery of novel techniques, based on a form of PCR which we called cross pairing PCR (briefly XPCR). They were mathematically analyzed and already experimentally proven in different contexts, such as DNA extraction and recombination. Thus, a mathematical analysis of standard methodologies may highlight novel mechanisms of DNA recombination and this can provide new technologies for DNA manipulation.
authors.affiliation: University of Verona, Department of Computer Science, 15 Strada le Grazie, Verona 37134, Italy. vincenzo.manca@univr.it
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manca
authors.forename: Giuditta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D008037:Linguistics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D004247:DNA