Kinetics of the Melting Transition in DNA

TL;DR

This study explores the melting transition of DNA by simulating the process with advanced models, revealing metastable states and different nucleation behaviors influenced by interaction range and temperature conditions.

Contribution

It introduces modified DNA melting models incorporating long and short range interactions and analyzes their kinetic behaviors through simulations.

Findings

Metastable states are observed prior to nucleation.

Critical droplet profiles exhibit classical and spinodal features.

Nucleation modes depend on interaction range and temperature quench depth.

Abstract

We investigate the kinetics of the DNA melting transition using modified versions of the Peyrard-Dauxois-Bishop and Poland-Scheraga models that include long and short range interactions. Using Brownian dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations, we observe metastable states prior to nucleation and demonstrate that the profile and growth modes of the critical droplet can have both classical and spinodal characteristics depending on the interaction range and the temperature quench depth.