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Anomalous Dynamics of Unbiased Polymer Translocation through a Narrow Pore

Soft Condensed Matter 2007-10-08 v5 Statistical Mechanics Biological Physics Biomolecules

Abstract

We consider a polymer of length NN translocating through a narrow pore in the absence of external fields. Characterization of its purportedly anomalous dynamics has so far remained incomplete. We show that the polymer dynamics is anomalous until the Rouse time τRN1+2ν\tau_{R}\sim N^{1+2\nu}, with a mean square displacement through the pore consistent with t(1+ν)/(1+2ν)t^{(1+\nu)/(1+2\nu)}, with ν0.588\nu\approx0.588 the Flory exponent. This is shown to be directly related to a decay in time of the excess monomer density near the pore as t(1+ν)/(1+2ν)exp(t/τR)t^{-(1+\nu)/(1+2\nu)}\exp(-t/\tau_{R}). Beyond the Rouse time translocation becomes diffusive. In consequence of this, the dwell-time τd\tau_{d}, the time a translocating polymer typically spends within the pore, scales as N2+νN^{2+\nu}, in contrast to previous claims.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0703404,
  title  = {Anomalous Dynamics of Unbiased Polymer Translocation through a Narrow Pore},
  author = {Debabrata Panja and Gerard T. Barkema and Robin C. Ball},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0703404},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

12 pages, 3 figures; to appear in J. Phys.: Cond. Mat. (Fast Track Communication)