title: Bistable collective behavior of polymers tethered in a nanopore.
abstract: Polymer-coated pores play a crucial role in nucleo-cytoplasmic transport and in a number of biomimetic and nanotechnological applications. Here we present Monte Carlo and Density Functional Theory approaches to identify different collective phases of end-grafted polymers in a nanopore and to study their relative stability as a function of intermolecular interactions. Over a range of system parameters that is relevant for nuclear pore complexes, we observe two distinct phases: one with the bulk of the polymers condensed at the wall of the pore, and the other with the polymers condensed along its central axis. The relative stability of these two phases depends on the interpolymer interactions. The existence the two phases suggests a mechanism in which marginal changes in these interactions, possibly induced by nuclear transport receptors, cause the pore to transform between open and closed configurations, which will influence transport through the pore.
authors.affiliation: London Centre for Nanotechnology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. d.osmanovic@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Dino
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Osmanovic
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Anthony H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Harker
authors.forename: Ariberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fassati
authors.forename: Bart W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hoogenboom
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Ford
mesh_terms: D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016062:Porosity
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers