Controlling segregation speed of entangled polymers by the shapes: A simple model for eukaryotic chromosome segregation

Phys Rev E. 2016 Oct;94(4-1):042403. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.94.042403. Epub 2016 Oct 6.

Abstract

We report molecular dynamics simulations of the segregation of two overlapping polymers motivated by chromosome segregation in biological cells. We investigate the relationship between polymer shapes and segregation dynamics and show that elongation and compaction make entangled polymers segregate rapidly. This result suggests that eukaryotic chromosomes take such a characteristic rod-shaped structure, which is induced by condensins, to achieve rapid segregation.

MeSH terms

  • Chromosome Segregation*
  • Eukaryota
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Polymers / chemistry*

Substances

  • Polymers