8.592J | Spring 2011 | Graduate

Statistical Physics in Biology

Lecture Notes

RNA (Secondary Structure)

  1. Structure and function of RNA
  2. The ‘RNA world’ hypothesis
  3. Structural levels:
  4. Representations without psuedoknots
  5. Algorithms for finding optimal secondary structure: Nussinov, R., and A.B. Jacobson. “Fast algorithm for predicting the secondary structure of single-stranded RNA.” PNAS 77, no. 11(1980): 6309-6313. “Research by Michael Zuker”.
  6. Recursive (Hartree) calculation of partition function
  7. Counting secondary structures. [Chandrasekhar. “Stochastic Problems in Physics and Astronomy.” Reviews of Modern Physics 15, no. 1 (1943): 1–89.]
  8. The melting of a hairpin

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