intervenant:   Louis H. Kauffman, Math UIC
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titre:"SymBiologic, DNA, Rational Tangles and Rational Knots"
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Résumé :
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	 This talk begins with a graphic collection of observations and
exercises related to the the simplest knot -- the trefoil knot. Our
observations culminate in the occurrence of the trefoil in the interaction
of two helices at ninety degrees to one another. This double helix trefoil
allows us to ask some questions about the topology of DNA and leads into
the second part of the talk where we discuss the role of topology in DNA
replication and recombination. The talk concludes with a sketch of the new
proof of the speaker and Sofia Lambropoulou of the classification of
rational knots (a result that is fundamental to the application of knot
theory in DNA research).