title: Isotropic to nematic liquid crystalline phase transition of F-actin varies from continuous to first order.
abstract: We report that the properties of the isotropic to nematic liquid crystalline phase transition of F-actin depend critically on the average filament length. For average filament lengths longer than 2 microm, we confirm previous findings that the phase transition is continuous in both alignment and concentration. For average filament lengths shorter than 2 microm, we show for the first time a first order transition with a clear discontinuity in both alignment and concentration. Tactoidal droplets of coexisting isotropic and nematic phases, differing in concentration by approximately 30%, form over the course of hours and appear to settle into near equilibrium metastable states.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viamontes
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.forename: Jay X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D018260:Gelsolin / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D050866:Liquid Crystals; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D044367:Phase Transition; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018260:Gelsolin