Tangle analysis of difference topology experiments: applications to a Mu protein-DNA complex
arXiv:0710.4150 · doi:10.2140/agt.2009.9.2247
Abstract
We develop topological methods for analyzing difference topology experiments involving 3-string tangles. Difference topology is a novel technique used to unveil the structure of stable protein-DNA complexes involving two or more DNA segments. We analyze such experiments for the Mu protein-DNA complex. We characterize the solutions to the corresponding tangle equations by certain knotted graphs. By investigating planarity conditions on these graphs we show that there is a unique biologically relevant solution. That is, we show there is a unique rational tangle solution, which is also the unique solution with small crossing number.
arXiv comment60 pages, 74 figures