Splicing systems are generative devices of formal languages, introduced by Head in 1987 to model biological phenomena on linear and circular DNA molecules. A splicing system is defined by giving an initial set I and a set R of rules. Some unanswered questions are related to the computational power of circular splicing systems. In particular, a still open question is to find a characterization of circular languages generated by finite circular splicing systems (i.e., circular splicing systems with both I and R finite sets). In this paper we introduce a special class of the latter systems named marked systems. We prove that a marked system S generates a regular circular language if and only if S satisfies a special (decidable) property. As a consequence, we are able to characterize the structure of these regular circular languages.
A characterization of regular circular languages generated by marked splicing systems
DE FELICE, Clelia;ZIZZA, ROSALBA
2009-01-01
Abstract
Splicing systems are generative devices of formal languages, introduced by Head in 1987 to model biological phenomena on linear and circular DNA molecules. A splicing system is defined by giving an initial set I and a set R of rules. Some unanswered questions are related to the computational power of circular splicing systems. In particular, a still open question is to find a characterization of circular languages generated by finite circular splicing systems (i.e., circular splicing systems with both I and R finite sets). In this paper we introduce a special class of the latter systems named marked systems. We prove that a marked system S generates a regular circular language if and only if S satisfies a special (decidable) property. As a consequence, we are able to characterize the structure of these regular circular languages.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
