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A stochastic model of fragment formation when DNA replicates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2016

Richard Cowan*
Affiliation:
University of Hong Kong
S. N. Chiu*
Affiliation:
University of Hong Kong
*
Postal address: Department of Statistics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
∗∗ Present address: Fachbereich Mathematik, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Bernhard-von-Cotta-str. 2. 09596 Freiberg, Germany.

Abstract

The double-stranded molecule, DNA, has the unique property of replication and, because of this, it is the central molecule of life. The mechanism of replication for each single strand is intricate, involving enzymes which move along each of the single strands building a complementary copy. At the frontier of this action, the events have a strong stochastic character due to the random location on the DNA of key ‘sites' where copying commences. A model of this process is analysed. The central problem of interest is the mean length of certain ‘islands' of newly replicated DNA developed at the randomly located ‘sites'. These islands, which have been observed experimentally, are called Okazaki fragments.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Applied Probability Trust 1994 

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