Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T19:26:30.614Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Asymptotic results for a problem of DNA breakage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2016

Richard Cowan ,
David Culpin  and
David Gates
Richard Cowan*
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Mathematics and Statistics, Lindfield
David Culpin*
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Mathematics and Statistics, Canberra
David Gates*
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Mathematics and Statistics, Canberra
*
∗Present address: Department of Statistics, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
∗∗Postal address: 63 Coonanbarra Road, Wahroonga, NSW 2076, Australia.
∗∗∗Postal address: CSIRO Division of Mathematics and Statistics, Box 1965, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Double-stranded DNA molecules can be damaged by enzymic action or radiation, in a manner which creates randomly-located single-stranded breaks (nicks). The accumulation of these leads eventually to the double-stranded breakage of the molecule, because two opposite-strand nicks within a critical distance of each other establish conditions for breakage. We study the random variable N, defined as the number of nicks needed for double-stranded breakage to occur. We develop an asymptotic theory which is needed for practical computations.

Keywords

COVERAGE PROCESSSADDLEPOINT METHOD
Type
Short Communications
Information
Journal of Applied Probability , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , June 1990 , pp. 433 - 439
Copyright
Copyright © Applied Probability Trust 1990 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abramowitz, M. and Stegun, I. A. (1965) Handbook of Mathematical Functions. Dover, New York.Google Scholar
Cowan, R., Collis, C. M. and Grigg, G. W. (1987) Breakage of double-stranded DNA due to single-stranded nicking. J. Theor. Biol. 127, 229–246.Google Scholar
Henze, N. (1986) On the moments of vacancy of random arcs on the circle. J. Appl. Prob. 23, 837–840.Google Scholar
Holst, L. (1983) A note on random arcs on the circle. In Probability and Mathematical Statistics, Essays in Honour of C. G. Esséen, Uppsala University, 40–46.Google Scholar
Siegel, A. F. (1978) Random arcs on the circle. J. Appl. Prob. 15, 774–789.Google Scholar
Widder, D. V. (1972) The Laplace Transform. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.Google Scholar