title: Optimal control of gene mutation in DNA replication.
abstract: We propose a molecular-level control system view of the gene mutations in DNA replication from the finite field concept. By treating DNA sequences as state variables, chemical mutagens and radiation as control inputs, one cell cycle as a step increment, and the measurements of the resulting DNA sequence as outputs, we derive system equations for both deterministic and stochastic discrete-time, finite-state systems of different scales. Defining the cost function as a summation of the costs of applying mutagens and the off-trajectory penalty, we solve the deterministic and stochastic optimal control problems by dynamic programming algorithm. In addition, given that the system is completely controllable, we find that the global optimum of both base-to-base and codon-to-codon deterministic mutations can always be achieved within a finite number of steps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Green Hall, Campus Box 1042, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. juanyi.yu@wustl.edu
authors.forename: Juanyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jr-Shin
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tzyh-Jong
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Tarn
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003062:Codon; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA