Driven polymer translocation into a channel: Isoflux tension propagation theory and Langevin dynamics simulations

Abstract

Isoflux tension propagation (IFTP) theory and Langevin dynamics (LD) simulations are employed to study the dynamics of channel-driven polymer translocation in which a polymer translocates into a narrow channel and the monomers in the channel experience a driving force ${f}_{\mathrm{c}}$. In the high driving force limit, regardless of the channel width, IFTP theory predicts $\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\propto}{f}_{\text{c}}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}$ for the translocation time, where $\ensuremath{\beta}=\ensuremath{-}1$ is the force scaling exponent. Moreover, LD data show that for a very narrow channel fitting only a single file of monomers, the entropic force due to the subchain inside the channel does not play a significant role in the translocation dynamics and the force exponent $\ensuremath{\beta}=\ensuremath{-}1$ regardless of the force magnitude. As the channel width increases the number of possible spatial configurations of the subchain inside the channel becomes significant and the resulting entropic force causes the force exponent to drop below unity.