DNA rearrangements and multigraphs
Mariel Vazquez, SFSU
Chromosome aberrations (large-scale genome rearrangements) result from
double-stranded DNA breakage and misrejoining in a cell. These
rearrangements can be characterized, and their mechanisms of formation
analyzed, using discrete models. We have developed a mathematical
framework for characterizing chromosome aberrations. A DNA rearrangement
multigraph specifies the number of breakpoints, the rearrangement rules
and the way in which one or more DNA segments are involved in each
aberration.
We have extensively analyzed radiation data where normal cells are
irradiated and the resulting DNA changes are observed at the first mitosis
after irradiation. I will discuss how radiation-induced chromosome
rearrangements can be described, classified and analyzed using
rearrangement multigraphs. Finally I will mention how this work extends to
cancer cytogenetics and comparative genomics.
[Joint work with R. Sachs, D. Levy and J. Arsuaga]