Direction-dependent force-induced dissociation dynamics of an entropic-driven lock-and-key assembly

Yen Fu Chen, Hsuan Yi Chen, Yu Jane Sheng, Heng Kwong Tsao

研究成果: 雜誌貢獻期刊論文同行評審

1 引文 斯高帕斯(Scopus)

摘要

The unbinding dynamics of a nanosized sphere-and-cavity assembly under the pulling of constant force and constant loading rate is explored by dissipative particle dynamics simulations. The formation of this matched lock-and-key pair in a polymer solution is driven by the depletion attraction. The two-dimensional free energy landscape U(x,z) associated with this assembly is constructed. Our results indicate that the unbinding pathway along the orientation of the assembly is unfavorable due to the relatively high energy barrier compared to that along the tortuous minimum path whose energy barrier is not high. It is also found that the dissociation rate depends on the direction of the external force (θ) with respect to the assembly orientation. The presence of the force component perpendicular to the assembly orientation can reduce the bond lifetime significantly by driving the key particle to approach the minimum path. Moreover, the dissociation dynamics can be facilitated even by a pushing force compared to the spontaneous dissociation (without forces). To elucidate the effective pathway under pulling, the escaping position is analyzed and its mean direction with respect to the assembly orientation rises generally with increasing θ, revealing that the presence of the force component along the minimum pathway is helpful. The importance of the direction of the external pulling has been demonstrated in our simple system. Therefore, this effect should be considered in more complicated unbinding experiments.

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文章編號032610
期刊Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
96
發行號3
DOIs
出版狀態已出版 - 26 9月 2017

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