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Article
| Open Access
Two-component molecular motor driven by a GTPase cycle
ATPases can cyclically convert free energy into mechanical work. Now, it is shown that the GTPase Rab5 can also perform mechanical work as part of a two-component molecular motor with the tethering protein EEA1.
- Anupam Singh
- , Joan Antoni Soler
- & Shashi Thutupalli
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Article |
Charge mosaics on contact-electrified dielectrics result from polarity-inverting discharges
Under certain conditions, contact electrification can lead to heterogeneous surface charge distributions—charge mosaics. Experiments and theory now show that these arise from electrostatic discharges between disjoining surfaces.
- Yaroslav I. Sobolev
- , Witold Adamkiewicz
- & Bartosz A. Grzybowski
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Article |
Exact solutions for the wrinkle patterns of confined elastic shells
Wrinkling happens because of mechanical instabilities arising from length mismatches. A theory now describes wrinkling in confined elastic shells and is expected to be relevant for the controlled design of complex wrinkle patterns.
- Ian Tobasco
- , Yousra Timounay
- & Eleni Katifori
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Article
| Open Access
Non-specific adhesive forces between filaments and membraneless organelles
Many organelles in the cell are not encapsulated in a membrane—they are liquid-like domains formed through phase separation. The liquid-like nature of such domains leads to adhesive interactions between the cytoskeleton filaments and organelles.
- Thomas J. Böddeker
- , Kathryn A. Rosowski
- & Eric R. Dufresne
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Flexible filaments buckle into helicoidal shapes in strong compressional flows
A general mechanism through which elastic filaments suspended in a strong compressional flow buckle and spontaneously acquire a chiral helicoidal shape is uncovered and elucidated theoretically.
- Brato Chakrabarti
- , Yanan Liu
- & Anke Lindner
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Letter |
Elastic ripening and inhibition of liquid–liquid phase separation
In a process dubbed elastic ripening, compressive stresses in a polymer network are shown to suppress phase separation of the solvent that swells it, stabilizing mixtures well beyond the liquid–liquid phase separation boundary.
- Kathryn A. Rosowski
- , Tianqi Sai
- & Eric R. Dufresne
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Polaron spin dynamics in high-mobility polymeric semiconductors
The long spin lifetimes observed in polymeric semiconductors hold promise for potential applications. A careful study untangles the main mechanism behind them.
- Sam Schott
- , Uday Chopra
- & Henning Sirringhaus
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Article |
The microscopic role of deformation in the dynamics of soft colloids
Simulations of a system comprising polymer rings with internal elasticity reveal a key role for deformation in controlling the microscopic dynamics of soft colloids.
- Nicoletta Gnan
- & Emanuela Zaccarelli
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Article |
Topography-driven surface renewal
Natural surfaces better their synthetic counterparts at coping with biofouling. A characterization of topography-induced delamination reveals a mechanism whereby elastic energy drives the crack propagation that facilitates surface renewal.
- Luka Pocivavsek
- , Joseph Pugar
- & Enrique Cerda
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Letter |
Single DNA molecule jamming and history-dependent dynamics during motor-driven viral packaging
The molecular motors that package DNA into viruses stall frequently under conditions promoting DNA–DNA attraction. Single-molecule experiments suggest the stalling is due to a nonequilibrium jamming transition induced by the attractive interactions.
- Nicholas Keller
- , Shelley Grimes
- & Douglas E. Smith
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