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Information and communication theory in molecular biology

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Abstract

The DNA sequencing efforts of the past years together with rapid progress in sequencing technology have generated a huge amount of sequence data available in public molecular databases. This recent development makes it statistically feasible to apply universal concepts from Shannon’s information theory to problems in molecular biology, e.g to use mutual information for gene mapping and phylogenetic classification. Additionally, the genetic information in the cell is continuously subject to mutations. However, it has to be passed from generation to generation with high fidelity, raising the question of existence of error protection and correction mechanisms similar to those used in technical communication systems. Finally, better understanding of genetic information processing on the molecular level in the cell can be acquired by looking for parallels to well established models in communication theory, e.g. there exist analogies between gene expression and frame synchronization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Communications Engineering, TU-München, Arcisstr. 21, 80290, Munich, Germany

    Pavol Hanus, Bernhard Goebel, Janis Dingel, Johanna Weindl & Joachim Hagenauer

  2. Institute for Statistical Medicine and Epidemiology, TU-München, Clinic “Rechts der Isar”, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany

    Juergen Zech

  3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon

    Zaher Dawy

  4. Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Postfach 1564, Haus Nr. 5, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany

    Jakob C. Mueller

Authors
  1. Pavol Hanus
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  2. Bernhard Goebel
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  3. Janis Dingel
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  4. Johanna Weindl
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  5. Juergen Zech
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  6. Zaher Dawy
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  7. Joachim Hagenauer
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  8. Jakob C. Mueller
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Correspondence to Pavol Hanus.

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Hanus, P., Goebel, B., Dingel, J. et al. Information and communication theory in molecular biology. Electr Eng 90, 161–173 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00202-007-0062-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00202-007-0062-6

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