1. Behavior of random RNA secondary structures near the glass transition
- Author
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Ralf Bundschuh, Kay Jörg Wiese, William D. Baez, Ohio State University [Columbus] (OSU), Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de l'ENS (LPTENS), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Fédération de recherche du Département de physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure - ENS Paris (FRDPENS), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Systèmes Classiques ou Quantiques en Interaction, Laboratoire de physique de l'ENS - ENS Paris (LPENS (UMR_8023)), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)
- Subjects
Models, Molecular ,Base pair ,FOS: Physical sciences ,01 natural sciences ,Polynomial algorithm ,Phase Transition ,010305 fluids & plasmas ,0103 physical sciences ,Transition Temperature ,Denaturation (biochemistry) ,[PHYS.COND.CM-DS-NN]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Disordered Systems and Neural Networks [cond-mat.dis-nn] ,[PHYS.COND]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat] ,010306 general physics ,Condensed Matter - Statistical Mechanics ,Physics ,Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech) ,Condensed matter physics ,Base Sequence ,RNA ,Biomolecules (q-bio.BM) ,Disordered Systems and Neural Networks (cond-mat.dis-nn) ,Condensed Matter - Disordered Systems and Neural Networks ,Quantitative Biology - Biomolecules ,FOS: Biological sciences ,Intramolecular force ,Exponent ,Nucleic Acid Conformation ,Glass ,Glass transition - Abstract
International audience; RNA forms elaborate secondary structures through intramolecular base pairing. These structures perform critical biological functions within each cell. Due to the availability of a polynomial algorithm to calculate the partition function over these structures, they are also a suitable system for the statistical physics of disordered systems. In this model, below the denaturation temperature, random RNA secondary structures exist in one of two phases: a strongly disordered, low-temperature glass phase, and a weakly disordered, high-temperature molten phase. The probability of two bases to pair decays with their distance with an exponent 3/2 in the molten phase, and about 4/3 in the glass phase. Inspired by previous results from a renormalized field theory of the glass transition separating the two phases, we numerically study this transition. We introduce distinct order parameters for each phase, that both vanish at the critical point. We finally explore the driving mechanism behind this transition.
- Published
- 2018
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