N-body study of anisotropic membrane inclusions: Membrane mediated interactions and ordered aggregation
Abstract
We study the collective behavior of inclusions inducing local anisotropic curvatures in a flexible fluid membrane. The N-body interaction energy for general anisotropic inclusions is calculated explicitly, including multi-body interactions. Long-range attractive interactions between inclusions are found to be sufficiently strong to induce aggregation. Monte Carlo simulations show a transition from compact clusters to aggregation on lines or circles. These results might be relevant to proteins in biological membranes or colloidal particles bound to surfactant membranes.
- Publication:
-
European Physical Journal B
- Pub Date:
- November 1999
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s100510050968
- arXiv:
- arXiv:cond-mat/9906232
- Bibcode:
- 1999EPJB...12....9D
- Keywords:
-
- PACS. 87.15.Kg Molecular interactions; membrane-protein interactions - 64.60.Cn Order-disorder transformations; statistical mechanics of model systems - 24.10.Cn Many-body theory;
- 87.15.Kg;
- 64.60.Cn;
- 24.10.Cn;
- Molecular interactions;
- membrane-protein interactions;
- Order-disorder transformations;
- statistical mechanics of model systems;
- Many-body theory;
- Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter;
- Condensed Matter - Statistical Mechanics;
- Quantitative Biology
- E-Print:
- 4 pages, 3 figs, LaTeX