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Elastically driven linker aggregation between two semiflexible polyelectrolytes.

I Borukhov·R F Bruinsma·W M Gelbart·A J Liu
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Abstract

The behavior of mobile linkers connecting two semiflexible charged polymers, such as polyvalent counterions connecting DNA or F-actin chains, is studied theoretically. The chain bending rigidity induces an effective repulsion between linkers at large distances while the interchain electrostatic repulsion leads to an effective short-range interlinker attraction. We find a rounded phase transition from a dilute linker gas where the chains form large loops between linkers to a dense disordered linker fluid connecting parallel chains. The onset of chain pairing occurs within the rounded transition.

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ActinsBiopolymersDNAIonsModels, ChemicalNucleic Acid ConformationProtein ConformationStatic ElectricityJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

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I Borukhov, R F Bruinsma, W M Gelbart, A J Liu. 2001-03-05. Elastically driven linker aggregation between two semiflexible polyelectrolytes.. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.86.2182

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