Abstract
We address the issue of the computational power of a formal model ([3], [6]) for the guided homologous recombinations that take place during gene rearrangement in ciliates. Results in [7], [5] have shown that a generalization of this model that assumes context-controlled recombinations has universal computational power. Complementing results in [4], [11], [12], [15], we study properties of context-free recombinations and characterize the languages generated by context-free recombination systems. As a corollary, we obtain context-free recombinations which are computationally weak, being able to generate only regular languages. This is one more indicator that, most probably, the presence of direct repeats does not provide all the information needed for accurate splicing during gene rearrangement.
Even if the rope breaks nine times, we must splice it back together a tenth time.
— Tibetan proverb
Research partially supported by Grant R2824AO1 of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to L.K. and NSF Grant CCR 97-33101 to J.K.
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Kari, J., Kari, L. (2001). Context-Free Recombinations. In: MartÃn-Vide, C., Mitrana, V. (eds) Where Mathematics, Computer Science, Linguistics and Biology Meet. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9634-3_32
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9634-3_32
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