Poland-Scheraga models and the DNA denaturation transition

TL;DR

This paper rigorously analyzes Poland-Scheraga models for DNA denaturation, deriving scaling functions, exploring examples, and proposing extensions to account for experimentally observed first-order phase transitions.

Contribution

It provides a rigorous and refined analysis of Poland-Scheraga models, introduces a self-avoiding variant with first-order transition, and discusses extensions to match experimental observations.

Findings

Derivation of scaling functions near phase transition

Introduction of a self-avoiding Poland-Scheraga model with first-order transition

Discussion of exactly solvable directed models

Abstract

Poland-Scheraga models were introduced to describe the DNA denaturation transition. We give a rigorous and refined discussion of a family of these models. We derive possible scaling functions in the neighborhood of the phase transition point and review common examples. We introduce a self-avoiding Poland-Scheraga model displaying a first order phase transition in two and three dimensions. We also discuss exactly solvable directed examples. This complements recent suggestions as to how the Poland-Scheraga class might be extended in order to display a first order transition, which is observed experimentally.