Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: We elucidate the structural transitions in a helical off-lattice homopolymer induced by crowding agents, as a function of the number of monomers ($N$) and volume fraction (${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{c}$) of crowding particles. At ${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{c}=0$, the homopolymer undergoes transitions from a random coil to a helix, helical hairpin $\mathbf{H}\mathbf{H}$, and helix bundle $\mathbf{H}\mathbf{B}$ structures depending on $N$, and temperature. Crowding induces chain compaction that can promote $\mathbf{H}\mathbf{H}$ or $\mathbf{H}\mathbf{B}$ formation depending on ${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{c}$. Typically, the helical content decreases which is reflected in the decrease in the transition temperatures that depend on ${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{c}$, $N$, and the size of the crowding particles.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Institutions: University of Maryland, College Park, University of Houston
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2036911691