Dynamics and Kinetics of Polymers and Biopolymers

Abstract

In this review we present current theoretical understandings on dynamics of a single polymer chain and kinetics of conformational changes. The emphasis has been put on the influence of stiffness, topological interactions and confinement effects. We provide an overview of theoretical considerations based on general models. The basic scaling laws governing the free dynamics and confined dynamics of single polymers are given. For semiflexible chains, the interplay between connectivity and internal elastic properties produces a rich dynamic behavior. In the entangled regime, the reptation dynamics of semiflexible chains are characterized by several dynamic exponents which differ from the exponents of flexible polymers, reflecting their local stiffness. We discuss the influence of confinement on entanglement length, which is directly linked to the unique viscoelastic property of polymer melts. The theories for biologically relevant processes, translocation dynamics and cyclization kinetics are discussed. We expect the general polymer theory to help further development of a consistent microscopic theory for diverse biological processes.