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]