Journal of Computer Science & Systems Biology

Gota Kawai

Publications

• Research Article
  Modeling the Chain Entropy of Biopolymers: Unifying Two Different Random Walk Models under One Framework
  Author(s): Wayne Dawson and Gota KawaiWayne Dawson and Gota Kawai
  
  Entropy plays a critical role in the long range structure of biopolymers. To model the coarse-grained chain entropy of the residues in biopolymers, the lattice model or the Gaussian polymer chain (GPC) model is typically used. Both models use the concept of a random walk to find the conformations of an unstructured polymer. However, the entropy of the lattice model is a function of the coordination number, whereas the entropy of the GPC is a function of the root-mean square separation distance between the ends of the polymer. This can lead to inconsistent predictions for the coarse-grained entropy. Here we show that the GPC model and the lattice model both are consistent under transformations using the cross-linking entropy (CLE) model and that the CLE model generates a family of equations that include these two models at important limits. We show that the.. Read More»
  DOI: 10.4172/jcsb.1000014

  Abstract PDF