Séminaire de Mathématique-Biologie

# Topological Models of DNA-Protein Interactions

## by Prof. Dorothy BUCK (Imperial College London)

mercredi 9 janvier 2013 de au (Europe/Paris)
at IHES ( Amphithéâtre Léon Motchane )
Le Bois-Marie 35, route de Chartres 91440 Bures-sur-Yvette
 Description The central axis of the famous DNA double helix is often constrained or even circular.   The topology of this axis can influence which proteins interact with the underlying DNA. Subsequently, in all cells there are proteins whose primary function (type II topoisomerases)  is to change the DNA axis topology -- for example converting a torus link into an unknot. Additionally, there are several protein families (most importantly, site-specific recombinases) that change the axis topology as a by-product of their interaction with DNA. This talk will describe some typical DNA conformations, and the families of proteins that change these conformations. I'll present a few examples illustrating how 3-manifold topology (including Dehn surgery and Heegaard Floer homology) have been useful in understanding certain DNA-protein interactions, and discuss the most common techniques used to attack these problems.  Organisé par M. Gromov Contact Email: cecile@ihes.fr