Entropy Analysis of DNA Sequence Data

Chad Shaw

Dept of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, USA

Abstract

Entropy analysis is a statistical tool for characterizing a categorical time series. We have used the entropy method to examine features of DNA sequences. Entropy differences may help discriminate chromosomal regions with different biological activity. Despite its potential, entropy methods for DNA sequences have not been highly successful. We discuss this difficulty, and we explore how entropy methods may be changed to suit the problem of DNA sequence analysis.