https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-021-01960-5
Regular Article
DNA Mutations via Chern–Simons Currents
1
Dipartimento di Fisica “Ettore Pancini”, Università degli Studi di Napoli“Federico II”, Compl. Univ. di Monte S. Angelo, Edificio G, Via Cinthia, 80126, Napoli, Italy
2
INFN Sezione di Napoli, Compl. Univ. di Monte S. Angelo, Edificio G, Via Cinthia, 80126, Napoli, Italy
3
Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
4
Biogem “Istituto di Biologia molecolare e genetica”, 83031, Ariano Irpino, Italy
5
Scuola Superiore Meridionale, Largo San Marcellino 10, 80138, Napoli, Italy
6
Istituto Statale d’Istruzione Superiore “Leonardo da Vinci”, via F. Turati Poggiomarino, Naples, Italy
7
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli“Federico II”, Via Claudio n.21, 80125, Napoli, Italy
8
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
9
Sezione Microbiologia Clinica, A.O.U. S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi D’Aragona, Largo Città di Ippocrate, 84131, Salerno, Italy
10
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Avanzate, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, via Pansini 5, Napoli, Italy
Received:
7
July
2021
Accepted:
13
September
2021
Published online:
28
October
2021
We test the validity of a possible schematization of DNA structure and dynamics based on the Chern–Simons theory, that is a topological field theory mostly considered in the context of effective gravity theories. By means of the expectation value of the Wilson Loop, derived from this analogue gravity approach, we find the point-like curvature of genomic strings in KRAS human gene and COVID-19 sequences, correlating this curvature with the genetic mutations. The point-like curvature profile, obtained by means of the Chern–Simons currents, can be used to infer the position of the given mutations within the genetic string. Generally, mutations take place in the highest Chern–Simons current gradient locations and subsequent mutated sequences appear to have a smoother curvature than the initial ones, in agreement with a free energy minimization argument.
© The Author(s) 2021
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