Chirality and equilibrium biopolymer bundles.
We use continuum theory to show that chirality is a key thermodynamic control parameter for the aggregation of biopolymers: chirality produces a stable disperse phase of hexagonal bundles under moderately poor solvent conditions, as has been observed in in vitro studies of F actin [O. Pelletier et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 148102 (2003)]. The large characteristic radius of these chiral bundles is not determined by a mysterious long-range molecular interaction but by in-plane shear elastic stresses generated by the interplay between a chiral torque and an unusual, but universal, nonlinear gauge term in the strain tensor of ordered chains that is imposed by rotational invariance.
Grason
Gregory M
GM
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA.
Bruinsma
Robijn F
RF
D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry*; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013816:Thermodynamics
D000199:Actins; D001704:Biopolymers