Dynamics of end-pulled polymer translocation through a nanopore

Abstract

We consider the translocation dynamics of a polymer chain forced through a nanopore by an external force on its head monomer on the trans side. For a proper theoretical treatment we generalize the iso-flux tension propagation (IFTP) theory to include friction arising from the trans side subchain. The theory reveals a complicated scenario of multiple scaling regimes depending on the configurations of the cis and the trans side subchains. In the limit of high driving forces $f$ such that the trans subchain is strongly stretched, the theory is in excellent agreement with molecular dynamics simulations and allows an exact analytic solution for the scaling of the translocation time $\tau$ as a function of the chain length $N_0$ and $f$. In this regime the asymptotic scaling exponents for $\tau \sim N_0^{\alpha }{f}^{\beta }$ are $\alpha =2$, and $\beta =-1$. The theory reveals significant correction-to-scaling terms arising from the cis side subchain and pore friction, which lead to a very slow approach to $\alpha =2$ from below as a function of increasing $N_0$.

5 pages, 4 figures

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Cited by in corpus (7)

• Theory of pore-driven and end-pulled polymer translocation dynamics through a nanopore: An overview
• Polymer translocation under a pulling force: scaling arguments and threshold forces
• Reducing the variance in the translocation times by pre-stretching the polymer
• Polymer translocation through nanopore assisted by an environment of active rods
• Pulling a DNA molecule through a nanopore embedded in an anionic membrane: tension propagation coupled to electrostatics
• Force spectroscopy analysis in polymer translocation
• End-pulled polymer translocation through a many-body flexible pore