Wave propagation of coupled modes in the DNA double helix

Abstract

The remarkable dynamics of waves propagating along the DNA molecule is described by the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations. We consider both the single and the coupled nonlinear excitation modes and, under numerical simulations of the Peyrard–Bishop model, with the use of realistic values of parameters, their biological implications are studied. Furthermore, the characteristics of the coupled mode solution are discussed and we show that such a solution can describe the local opening observed within the transcription and the replication phenomena.