Surface-enhanced unfolding of collapsed polymers in shear flow
Alexander-Katz, A.; Netz, R. R.; Alexander-Katz, A.; Physics Department, TU Munich - D-85748 Garching, Germany; Laboratoire Matière Molle & Chimie, ESPCI, CNRS, UMR 7167 - 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France; Netz, R. R.; Physics Department, TU Munich - D-85748 Garching, Germany
Журнал:
EPL (Europhysics Letters)
Дата:
2007-10-01
Аннотация:
Using hydrodynamic simulations we study the shear-induced unfolding of a collapsed polymer near a planar wall. Above a well-defined threshold shear rate , the globule becomes unstable and displays stretching-refolding events. With decreasing distance from the surface, the critical shear rate goes down, which is rationalized within a scaling analysis in terms of increased hydrodynamic stress due to a surface-induced slowing-down of globule rotation and translation. Our results are relevant for protein-assisted blood clotting in capillary vessels.
760.7Кб