78 research outputs found

    DNA Confinement drives uncoating of the HIV Virus

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    We present a model for the uncoating of the HIV virus driven by forces exerted on the protein shell of HIV generated by DNA confinement

    Frustrated Polyelectrolyte Bundles and T=0 Josephson-Junction Arrays

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    We establish a one-to-one mapping between a model for hexagonal polyelectrolyte bundles and a model for two-dimensional, frustrated Josephson-junction arrays. We find that the T=0 insulator-to-superconductor transition of the {\it quantum} system corresponds to a continuous liquid-to-solid transition of the condensed charge in the finite temperature {\it classical} system. We find that the role of the vector potential in the quantum system is played by elastic strain in the classical system. Exploiting this correspondence we show that the transition is accompanied by a spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry and that at the transition the polyelectrolyte bundle adopts a universal response to shear.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 1 table minor changes to text, reference adde
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