Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Biological materials, such as the actin cytoskeleton, exhibit remarkable structural adaptability to various external stimuli by consuming different amounts of energy. In this Letter, we use methods from large deviation theory to identify a thermodynamic control principle for structural transitions in a model cytoskeletal network. Specifically, we demonstrate that biasing the dynamics with respect to the work done by nonequilibrium components effectively renormalizes the interaction strength between such components, which can eventually result in a morphological transition. Our work demonstrates how a thermodynamic quantity can be used to renormalize effective interactions, which in turn can tune structure in a predictable manner, suggesting a thermodynamic principle for the control of cytoskeletal structure and dynamics.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Institutions: University of Chicago, University of Luxembourg
Language: English
Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: Rare-event simulation and analysis for elucidating mechanisms of development and disease, Collaborative Research: Mechanics of Reconstituted Self-Organized Contractile Actomyosin Systems, G3761988591, Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), DESIGNING ADAPTIVE INFORMATION PROCESSING MATERIALS USING NON-EQUILIBRIUM FORCING
OpenAlex ID: W3212483648