Nonlinear charge transport in the helicoidal DNA molecule

Abstract

Charge transport in the twist-opening model of DNA is explored via the modulational instability of a plane wave. The dynamics of charge is shown to be governed, in the adiabatic approximation, by a modified discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation with next-nearest neighbor interactions. The linear stability analysis is performed on the latter and manifestations of the modulational instability are discussed according to the value of the parameter α, which measures hopping interaction correction. In so doing, increasing α leads to a reduction of the instability domain and, therefore, increases our chances of choosing appropriate values of parameters that could give rise to pattern formation in the twist-opening model. Our analytical predictions are verified numerically, where the generic equations for the radial and torsional dynamics are directly integrated. The impact of charge migration on the above degrees of freedom is discussed for different values of α. Soliton-like and localized structures are observed and thus confirm our analytical predictions. We also find that polaronic structures, as known in DNA charge transport, are generated through modulational instability, and hence reinforces the robustness of polaron in the model we study.