Du J, Yin H, Zhu H, Wan T, Wang B, Qi H, Lu Y, Dai L, Chen T. Forming a Double-Helix Phase of Single Polymer Chains by the Cooperation between Local Structure and Nonlocal Attraction.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022;
128:197801. [PMID:
35622042 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.128.197801]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Double-helix structures, such as DNA, are formed in nature to realize many unique functions. Inspired by this, researchers are pursuing strategies to design such structures from polymers. A key question is whether the double helix can be formed from the self-folding of a single polymer chain without specific interactions. Here, using Langevin dynamics simulation and theoretical analysis, we find that a stable double-helix phase can be achieved by the self-folding of single semiflexible polymers as a result of the cooperation between local structure and nonlocal attraction. The critical temperature of double-helix formation approximately follows T^{cri}∼ln(k_{θ}) and T^{cri}∼ln(k_{τ}), where k_{θ} and k_{τ} are the polymer bending and torsion stiffness, respectively. Furthermore, the double helix can exhibit major and minor grooves due to symmetric break for better packing. Our results provide a novel guide to the experimental design of the double helix.
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