The depletion attraction: an underappreciated force driving cellular organization.
Cellular structures are shaped by hydrogen and ionic bonds, plus van der Waals and hydrophobic forces. In cells crowded with macromolecules, a little-known and distinct force-the "depletion attraction"-also acts. We review evidence that this force assists in the assembly of a wide range of cellular structures, ranging from the cytoskeleton to chromatin loops and whole chromosomes.
Marenduzzo
Davide
D
School of Physics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, Scotland, UK.
Finan
Kieran
K
Cook
Peter R
PR
D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry; D000682:Amyloid / Q000737:chemistry; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D022082:Cellular Structures / Q000737:chemistry*; D002843:Chromatin; D002875:Chromosomes; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D015388:Organelles / Q000737:chemistry; D011487:Protein Conformation
D000199:Actins; D000682:Amyloid; D002843:Chromatin