Active Curved Polymers Form Vortex Patterns on Membranes
Abstract
Recent in vitro experiments with FtsZ polymers show self-organization into different dynamic patterns, including structures reminiscent of the bacterial Z ring. We model FtsZ polymers as active particles moving along chiral, circular paths by Brownian dynamics simulations and a Boltzmann approach. Our two conceptually different methods point to a generic phase behavior. At intermediate particle densities, we find self-organization into vortex structures including closed rings. Moreover, we show that the dynamics at the onset of pattern formation is described by a generalized complex Ginzburg-Landau equation.
- Publication:
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Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- April 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.178301
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1602.08976
- Bibcode:
- 2016PhRvL.116q8301D
- Keywords:
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- Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter;
- Condensed Matter - Statistical Mechanics;
- Nonlinear Sciences - Pattern Formation and Solitons
- E-Print:
- 3 figures in the main text, 4 figures in the supplemental material