Dynamic Light Scattering from Semidilute Actin Solutions: A Study of Hydrodynamic Screening, Filament Bending Stiffness and the Effect of Tropomyosin/Troponin-Binding

Quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) is applied to investigate the effect of the tropomyosin/troponin complex (Tm/Tn) on the stiffness of actin filaments. The importance of hydrodynamic screening in semidilute solutions is demonstrated. A new concentration dependent expression for the dynamic structure factor $g(\bm k,t)$ of semiflexible polymers in semidilute solutions is used to analyze the experimental QELS data. A concentration independent value for the bending modulus $\kappa$ is thus obtained. It increases by 50\% as a consequence of Tm/Tn binding in a 7:1:1 molar ratio of actin/Tm/Tn. In addition a new expression for the initial slope of the dynamic structure factor of a semiflexible polymer is used to determine the effective hydrodynamic diameter of the actin filament. Our results confirm the general relevance of the concept of (intrinsic) semiflexibility to polymer dynamics.Comment: 9 pages, RevTeX, 9 figures, all uuencoded gzipe

A freely relaxing polymer remembers how it was straightened

The relaxation of initially straight semiflexible polymers has been discussed mainly with respect to the longest relaxation time. The biologically relevant non-equilibrium dynamics on shorter times is comparatively poorly understood, partly because "initially straight" can be realized in manifold ways. Combining Brownian dynamics simulations and systematic theory, we demonstrate how different experimental preparations give rise to specific short-time and universal long-time dynamics. We also discuss boundary effects and the onset of the stretch--coil transition.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, 3 table

Microrheology probes length scale dependent rheology

We exploit the power of microrheology to measure the viscoelasticity of entangled F-actin solutions at different length scales from 1 to 100 mu m over a wide frequency range. We compare the behavior of single probe-particle motion to that of the correlated motion of two particles. By varying the average length of the filaments, we identify fluctuations that dissipate diffusively over the filament length. These provide an important relaxation mechanism of the elasticity between 0.1 and 30 rad/sec

Transverse fluctuations of grafted polymers

We study the statistical mechanics of grafted polymers of arbitrary stiffness in a two-dimensional embedding space with Monte Carlo simulations. The probability distribution function of the free end is found to be highly anisotropic and non-Gaussian for typical semiflexible polymers. The reduced distribution in the transverse direction, a Gaussian in the stiff and flexible limits, shows a double peak structure at intermediate stiffnesses. We also explore the response to a transverse force applied at the polymer free end. We identify F-Actin as an ideal benchmark for the effects discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review

Radial distribution function of semiflexible polymers

We calculate the distribution function of the end--to--end distance of a semiflexible polymer with large bending rigidity. This quantity is directly observable in experiments on single semiflexible polymers (e.g., DNA, actin) and relevant to their interpretation. It is also an important starting point for analyzing the behavior of more complex systems such as networks and solutions of semiflexible polymers. To estimate the validity of the obtained analytical expressions, we also determine the distribution function numerically using Monte Carlo simulation and find good quantitative agreement.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 1 figure. Also available at http://www.cip.physik.tu-muenchen.de/tumphy/d/T34/Mitarbeiter/frey.htm

Euler buckling in red blood cells: An optically driven biological micromotor

We investigate the physics of an optically-driven micromotor of biological origin. A single, live red blood cell, when placed in an optical trap folds into a rod-like shape. If the trapping laser beam is circularly polarized, the folded RBC rotates. A model based on the concept of buckling instabilities captures the folding phenomenon; the rotation of the cell is simply understood using the Poincar\`e sphere. Our model predicts that (i) at a critical intensity of the trapping beam the RBC shape undergoes large fluctuations and (ii) the torque is proportional to the intensity of the laser beam. These predictions have been tested experimentally. We suggest a possible mechanism for emergence of birefringent properties in the RBC in the folded state

Stretching dynamics of semiflexible polymers

We analyze the nonequilibrium dynamics of single inextensible semiflexible biopolymers as stretching forces are applied at the ends. Based on different (contradicting) heuristic arguments, various scaling laws have been proposed for the propagation speed of the backbone tension which is induced in response to stretching. Here, we employ a newly developed unified theory to systematically substantiate, restrict, and extend these approaches. Introducing the practically relevant scenario of a chain equilibrated under some prestretching force f pre that is suddenly exposed to a different external force f ext at the ends, we give a concise physical explanation of the underlying relaxation processes by means of an intuitive blob picture. We discuss the corresponding intermediate asymptotics, derive results for experimentally relevant observables, and support our conclusions by numerical solutions of the coarse-grained equations of motion for the tension

Depinning of semiflexible polymers in (1+1) dimensions

We present a theoretical analysis of a simple model of the depinning of an anchored semiflexible polymer from a fixed planar substrate in (1+1) dimensions. We consider a polymer with a discrete sequence of pinning sites along its contour. Using the scaling properties of the conformational distribution function in the stiff limit and applying the necklace model of phase transitions in quasi-one-dimensional systems, we obtain a melting criterion in terms of the persistence length, the spacing between pinning sites, a microscopic effective length which characterizes a bond, and the bond energy. The limitations of this and other similar approaches are also discussed. In the case of force-induced unbinding, it is shown that the bending rigidity favors the unbinding through a ``lever-arm effect''

Im Zickzack zwischen Physik und Biologie

Einsteins Interesse an statistischen Fluktuationen zieht sich als Leitmotiv durch seine Arbeiten. Aus seinen Ansätzen erwuchs eine unübersehbare Fülle an Forschungsgebieten, nicht nur innerhalb der Physik, sondern auch in anderen Disziplinen wie Biologie, Ökonomie oder Verkehrsforschung. Das Kapitel der Brownschen Bewegung umfasst noch viele ungeklärte Fragen. So fangen wir gerade erst an zu verstehen, in welchem Ma e Fluktuationen die Prozesse des Lebens bestimme

Propagation and relaxation of tension in stiff polymers

We present a unified theory for the longitudinal dynamic response of a stiff polymer in solution to various external perturbations mechanical excitations, hydrodynamic flows, electrical fields, temperature quenches dots that can be represented as sudden changes of ambient boundary conditions. The theory relies on a comprehensive analysis of the non equilibrium propagation and relaxation of backbone stresses in a wormlike chain. We recover and substantially extend previous results based on heuristic models. Intriguing new experimental implications are pointed ou