A STOCHASTIC-MODEL OF FRAGMENT FORMATION WHEN DNA REPLICATES

The double-stranded molecule, DNA, has the unique property of replicat ion and, because of this, it is the central molecule of life. The mech anism of replication for each single strand is intricate, involving en zymes which move along each of the single strands building a complemen tary copy. At the frontier of this action, the events have a strong st ochastic character due to the random location on the DNA of key 'sites ' where copying commences. A model of this process is analysed. The ce ntral problem of interest is the mean length of certain 'islands' of n ewly replicated DNA developed at the randomly located 'sites'. These i slands, which have been observed experimentally, are called Okazaki fr agments.