M-theory and two-dimensional effective dynamics

We calculate from M-theory the two-dimensional low energy effective dynamic s of various brane configurations. In the first part we study configuration s that have a dual description in type IIA string theory as two-dimensional (4,0) Yang-Mills theories with gauge group SU(N-1) X SU(N-2) and chiral fe rmions in the bi-fundamental representation. In the second part we derive r elated equations of motion which describe the low energy internal dynamics of a supersymmetric black hole in four-dimensional N = 1 supergravity, obta ined as an M-fivebrane wrapped on a complex four-cycle. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.