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Related Concept Videos

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Actin polymerization occurs through the head-to-tail association of binding sites on monomeric actin or G-actin to form filamentous or F-actin. The polymerization can be divided into three phases ̶  nucleation, elongation, and steady-state phase.
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Actin filaments (F-actin) are composed of actin subunits. The dissociation of actin monomers can occur from either end of F-actin. The rate of dissociation is faster from the minus-end or the pointed end, where the actin subunits exist with a bound ADP, together known as ADP-actin. The depolymerization of F-actin is aided by proteins, including the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) and cofilin family of proteins, gelsolin, and glia maturation factor (GMF).
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Giant activity-induced elasticity in entangled polymer solutions.

Davide Breoni1,2,3, Christina Kurzthaler4,5,6, Benno Liebchen7

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Physics
  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Equilibrium polymer physics predicts scaling laws for viscoelastic properties in natural and synthetic polymers.
  • Active polymer systems, driven far from equilibrium, are gaining importance but their viscoelastic properties remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the viscoelastic properties of highly-entangled, flexible self-propelled polymers.
  • To understand the impact of activity on polymer system dynamics and scaling laws.

Main Methods:

  • Brownian dynamics simulations were employed.
  • The study focused on highly-entangled, flexible self-propelled polymers.

Main Results:

  • Activity significantly enhances elasticity, scaling with polymer length (∼ L) due to grip forces at entanglement points.
  • Activity fluidizes the suspension, with long-time viscosity scaling as ∼ L², a change from passive systems (∼ L³).

Conclusions:

  • Self-propulsion in polymers dramatically alters viscoelastic properties.
  • These findings pave the way for designing novel activity-responsive polymeric materials.