Moving breathers in a bent DNA-related model

Abstract

We study the properties of moving breathers in a bent DNA-related model with short range interaction, due to the stacking of the base pairs, and long range interaction, due to the finite dipole moment of the bonds within each base pair. We show that the movement of a breather is hindered by the bending of the chain as a particle in a potential barrier. We have also found that the behaviour of moving breathers in an homogeneous bent chain and in a straight chain with a small impurity is qualitatively equivalent.