Giuseppe GAETA Simple models of DNA dynamics (58K, Plain TeX) ABSTRACT. In this note I briefly discuss the possibility of considering meaningful {\it simple} models describing DNA nonlinear dynamics; the focus is mainly on base opening dynamics - which is easily accessible to experimental observation - and by simple I mean models which have only one or two degrees of freedom per segment (i.e. nucleoside plus base) of the double helix. After discussing the feature such a model is required to have, I consider two models (Y and PB models) recently introduced, and show that despite their semplicity (relative, since they are not solvable), they succeed to grasp some essential feature of DNA dynamics, and exhibit good agreement with experimental observation. (NO FIGURES PROVIDED WITH THE MP_ARC FILE)