title: Nonlinear elasticity of stiff biopolymers connected by flexible linkers.
abstract: Networks of the biopolymer actin, cross-linked by the compliant protein filamin, form soft gels. They can, however, withstand large shear stresses due to their pronounced nonlinear elastic behavior. The nonlinear elasticity can be controlled by varying the number of cross-links per actin filament. We propose and test a model of rigid filaments decorated by multiple flexible linkers that is in quantitative agreement with experiment. This allows us to estimate loads on individual cross-links, which we find to be less than 10 pN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and SEAS, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kasza
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Koenderink
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Broedersz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Messner
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Stossel
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: MacKintosh
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Weitz
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry; D003285:Contractile Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004548:Elasticity; D064448:Filamins; D006801:Humans; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008954:Models, Biological; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D033081:Shear Strength
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D001704:Biopolymers; D003285:Contractile Proteins; D064448:Filamins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins