Poland–Scheraga Models and the DNA Denaturation Transition

Abstract

Poland–Scheraga models were introduced to describe the DNA denaturation transition. We give a rigorous and refined discussion of a family of these models. We derive possible scaling functions in the neighborhood of the phase transition point and review common examples. We introduce a self-avoiding Poland–Scheraga model displaying a first order phase transition in two and three dimensions. We also discuss exactly solvable directed examples. This complements recent suggestions as to how the Poland–Scheraga class might be extended in order to display a first order transition, which is observed experimentally.