title: Influence of chain stiffness on knottedness in single polymers.
abstract: In the present article, we investigate and review the influence of chain stiffness on self-entanglements and knots in a single polymer chain with Monte Carlo simulations spanning good solvent, theta and globular phases. The last-named are of particular importance as a model system for DNA in viral capsids. Intriguingly, the dependence of knot occurrence and complexity with increasing stiffness is non-trivial, but can be understood with a few simple concepts outlined in the present article.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Staudinger Weg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany. virnau@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Virnau
authors.forename: Florian C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reith
mesh_terms: D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012997:Solvents
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D012997:Solvents; D004247:DNA