

FOLLOWUS
Department of Physics, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China
chaowang0606@126.com
Received:18 May 2026,
Accepted:03 July 2026,
Online First:20 September 2026,
Published:2026-08
Scan QR Code
Zhou, Y. L.; Yang, X.; Zhao, B.; Wang, C. Translocation of a long passive polymer chain through a small pore pulled by an active polymer chain. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3802-7
Yan-Li Zhou, Xiao Yang, Bin Zhao, et al. Translocation of a Long Passive Polymer Chain through a Small Pore Pulled by an Active Polymer Chain[J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 441-11.
Zhou, Y. L.; Yang, X.; Zhao, B.; Wang, C. Translocation of a long passive polymer chain through a small pore pulled by an active polymer chain. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-026-3802-7 DOI:
Yan-Li Zhou, Xiao Yang, Bin Zhao, et al. Translocation of a Long Passive Polymer Chain through a Small Pore Pulled by an Active Polymer Chain[J/OL]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 441-11. DOI: 10.1007/s10118-026-3802-7.
The translocation of a long passive polymer chain (polymer P) through a small pore pulled by an active polymer chain (polymer A) was studied
via
simulation. The results indicate that the translocation dynamics of polymer P is strongly correlated with the conformation state of polymer A during the translocation process
depending on the active force
f
a
and the rigidity
k
b
of polymer A. For the case
k
b
is very small (including
k
b
=0)
polymer A is nearly a random coil at small
f
a
and forms a stable spiral at large
f
a
. When
f
a
is small
it is very difficult for polymer A to pull polymer P through the pore
and the translocation time (
τ
) is large. When
f
a
is large
τ
is small
and the translocation dynamics is determined by a winch-driven mechanism
where the spiral of polymer A rotates synchronously
pulling polymer P through the pore and winding it sequentially around itself. When
k
b
is large
polymer A adopts a rod configuration
and the translocation of polymer P is controlled by the translation of the polymer A rod.
Simon, S. M.; Blobel, G. A protein-conducting channel in the endoplasmic reticulum. Cell 1991 , 65 , 371−380..
Simon, S. M.; Peskin, C. S.; Oster, G. F. What drives the translocation of proteins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 1992 , 89 , 3770−3774..
Kindt, J.; Tzlil, S.; Ben-Shaul, A.; Gelbart, W. M. DNA packaging and ejection forces in bacteriophage. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2001 , 98 , 13671−13674..
Tzlil, S.; Kindt, J. T.; Gelbart, W. M.; Ben-Shaul, A. Forces and pressures in DNA packaging and release from viral capsids. Biophys. J. 2003 , 84 , 1616−1627..
Purohit, P. K.; Inamdar, M. M.; Grayson, P. D.; Squires, T. M.; Kondev, J.; Phillips, R. Forces during bacteriophage DNA packaging and ejection. Biophys. J. 2005 , 88 , 851−866..
Gabashvili, I. S.; Gregory, S. T.; Valle, M.; Grassucci, R.; Worbs, M.; Wahl, M. C.; Dahlberg, A. E.; Frank, J. The polypeptide tunnel system in the ribosome and its gating in erythromycin resistance mutants of L4 and L22. Mol. Cell 2001 , 8 , 181−188..
Helenius, J.; Ng, D. T. W.; Marolda, C. L.; Walter, P.; Valvano, M. A.; Aebi, M. Translocation of lipid-linked oligosaccharides across the ER membrane requires Rft1 protein. Nature 2002 , 415 , 447−450..
Marenduzzo, D.; Micheletti, C.; Orlandini, E.; Sumners, D. W. Topological friction strongly affects viral DNA ejection. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2013 , 110 , 20081−20086..
Lam, E. T.; Hastie, A.; Lin, C.; Ehrlich, D.; Das, S. K.; Austin, M. D.; Deshpande, P.; Cao, H.; Nagarajan, N.; Xiao, M.; Kwok, P. Y. Genomemapping on nanochannel arrays for structural variation analysis and sequence assembly. Nat. Biotechnol. 2012 , 30 , 771−776..
Marie, R.; Pedersen, J. N.; Bauer, D. L. V.; Rasmussen, K. H.; Yusuf, M.; Volpi, E.; Flyvbjerg, H.; Kristensen, A.; Mir, K. U. Integrated view of genome structure and sequence of a single DNA molecule in a nanofluidic device. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2013 , 110 , 4893−4898..
Reisner, W.; Larsen, N. B.; Silahtaroglu, A.; Kristensen, A.; Tommerup, N.; Tegenfeldt, J. O.; Flyvbjerg, H. Single-molecule denaturation mapping of DNA in nanofluidic channels. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2010 , 107 , 13294−13299..
Polonsky, S.; Rossnagel, S.; Stolovitzky, G. Nanopore in metal-dielectric sandwich for DNA position control. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2007 , 91 , 153103..
Luan, B.; Stolovitzky, G.; Martyna, G. Slowing and controlling the translocation of DNA in a solid-state nanopore. Nanoscale 2012 , 4 , 1068−1077..
Glasgow, J.; Tullman-Ercek, D. Production and applications of engineered viral capsids. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2014 , 98 , 5847−5858..
Dorfman, K. D. DNA electrophoresis in microfabricated devices. Rev. Mod. Phys. 2010 , 82 , 2903−2947..
Han, J.; Craighead, H. G. Separation of long DNA molecules in a microfabricated entropic trap array. Science 2000 , 288 , 1026−1029..
Kasianowicz, J. J.; Brandin, E.; Branton, D.; Deamer, D. W. Characterization of individual polynucleotide molecules using a membrane channel. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 1996 , 93 , 13770−13773..
Magill, M.; Falconer, C.; Waller, E.; de Haan, H. W. Translocation time through a nanopore with an internal cavity is minimal for polymers of interme diate length. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2016 , 117 , 247802..
Chen, K.; Jou, I.; Ermann, N.; Muthukumar, M.; Keyser, U. F.; Bell, N. A. W. Dynamics of driven polymer transport through a nanopore. Nat. Phys. 2021 , 17 , 1043−1049..
Ding, M.; Duan, X.; Lu, Y.; Shi, T. Flow-induced ring polymer translocation through nanopores. Macromolecules 2015 , 48 , 6002−6007..
Ding, M.; Li, L. Flow-induced translocation and conformational transition of polymer chains through nanochannels: recent advances and future perspectives. Macromolecules 2021 , 54 , 9773−9793..
Wang, Z.; Wang, R.; Lu, Y.; An, L.; Shi, A. C.; Wang, Z. G. Mechanisms of flow-induced polymer translocation. Macromolecules 2022 , 55 , 3602−3612..
Li, X.; Pivkin, I. V.; Liang, H. Hydrodynamic effects on flow-induced polymer translocation through a microfluidic channel. Polymer 2013 , 54 , 4309−4317..
Ambjörnsson, T.; Lomholt, M. A.; Metzler, R. Directed motion emerging from two coupled random processes: translocation of a chain through a membrane nanopore driven by binding proteins. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2005 , 17 , S3945−S3964..
Abdolvahab, R. H.; Ejtehadi, M. R.; Metzler, R. Sequence dependence of the binding energy in chaperone-driven polymer translocation through a nanopore. Phys. Rev. E 2011 , 83 , 011902..
Yu, W.; Luo, K. Chaperone-assisted translocation of a polymer through a nanopore. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011 , 133 , 13565−13570..
Turner, S. W. P.; Cabodi, M.; Craighead, H. G. Confinement-induced entropic recoil of single DNA molecules in a nanofluidic structure. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2002 , 88 , 128103..
Wang, C.; Wu, F.; Zhao, B.;Chen, Y. C.; Luo, M. B. Spontaneous injection of polymer into a spherical cavity from a narrow tube. Macromolecules 2020 , 53 , 1694−1700..
Huang, H. C.; Hsiao, P. Y. Sc aling behaviors of a polymer ejected from a cavity through a small pore. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2019 , 123 , 267801..
Huopaniemi, I.; Luo, K.; Ala-Nissila, T.; Ying, S. C. Polymer translocation through a nanopore under a pulling force. Phys. Rev. E 2007 , 75 , 061912..
Sarabadani, J.; Ala-Nissila, T. Theory of pore-driven and end-pulled polymer translocation dynamics through a nanopore: an overview. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2018 , 30 , 274002..
Menais, T. Polymer translocation under a pulling force: scaling arguments and threshold forces. Phys. Rev. E 2018 , 97 , 022501..
Huopaniemi, I.; Luo, K.; Ala-Nissila, T.; Ying, S. C. Langevin dynamics simulations of polymer translocation through nanopores. J. Chem. Phys. 2006 , 125 , 124901..
Sáinz-Agost, A.; Falo, F.; Fiasconaro, A. Polymer translocation driven by longitudinal and transversal time-dependent end-pulling forces. Phys. Rev. E 2023 , 108 , 034501..
Adane, M.; Tatek, Y. B.; Tilahun, M. Transport of a comb-like polymer across a nanochannel subject to a pulling force. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2024 , 36 , 505103..
Tilahun, M.; Tatek, Y. B. End-pulled translocation of a star polymer out of a confining cylindrical cavity. Macromol. Theory Simul. 2021 , 30 , 2000090..
Chen, X.; Chen, J.; Zhuo, B. Y.; Yang, X.; Luo, M. B. Simulation study for the pulling translocation of a polymer globule. Polym. J. 2021 , 53 , 1047−1056..
Fiasconaro, A.; Díez-Señorans, G.; Falo, F. End-pulled polymer translocation through a many-body flexible pore. Polymer 2022 , 259 , 125305..
Hu, H. X.; Shen, Y. F.; Luo, M. B. Translocation of two-dimensional active polymers through nanopores using Langevin dynamics simulations. J. Chem. Phys. 2024 , 160 , 184902..
Chuang, J.; Kantor, Y.; Kardar, M. Anomalous dynamics of translocati on. Phys. Rev. E 2001 , 65 , 011802..
Kantor, Y.; Kardar, M. Anomalous dynamics of forced translocation. Phys. Rev. E 2004 , 69 , 021806..
[Luo, K.; Ollila, S. T. T.; Huopaniemi, I.; Ala-Nissila, T.; Pomorski, P.; Karttunen, M.; Ying, S. C.; Bhattacharya, A. Dynamical scaling exponents for polymer translocation through a nanopore. Phys. Rev. E 2008 , 78 , 050901(R)..
Luo, M. B.; Cao, W. P. Influence of polymer-pore interaction on the translocation of a polymer through a nanopore. Phys. Rev. E 2012 , 86 , 031914..
Luo, K.; Huopaniemi, I.; Ala-Nissila, T.; Ying, S. C. Polymer translocation through a nanopore under an applied external field. J. Chem. Phys. 2006 , 124 , 114704..
Luo, K.; Metzler, R. Polymer translocation into a fluidic channel through a nanopore. Phys. Rev. E 2010 , 82 , 021922..
Zhang, Y.; Tian, W. D. Recent progress in non-equilibrium structure and dynamics of connected active agents. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2025 , 37 , 143002..
Isele-Holder, R. E.; Elgeti, J.; Gompper, G. Self-propelled worm-like filaments: spontaneous spiral formation, structure, and dynamics. Soft Matter 2015 , 11 , 7181−7190..
Man, Y.; Kanso, E. Morphological transitions of axially-driven microfilaments. Soft Matter 2019 , 15 , 5163−5173..
Wu, J. C.; Lin, F. J.; Ai, B. Q. Absolute negative mobility of active polymer chains in steady laminar flows. Soft Matter 2022 , 18 , 1194−1200..
Khalilian, H.; Peruani, F.; Sarabadani, J. Structural dynamics and optimal transport of an active polymer. Soft Matter 2024 , 20 , 7592−7600..
Bianco, V.; Locatelli, E.; Malgaretti, P. Globulelike conformation and enhanced diffusion of active polymers. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2018 , 121 , 217802..
Locatelli, E.; Bianco, V.; Malgaretti, P. Activity-induced collapse and arrest of active polymer rings. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2021 , 126 , 097801..
Chelakkot, R.; Gopinath, A.; Mahadevan, L.; Hagan, M. F. Flagellar dynamics of a connected chain of active, polar, Brownian particles. J. R. Soc. Interface 2014 , 11 , 20130884..
Fily, Y.; Subramanian, P.; Schneider, T. M.; Chelakkot, R.; Gopinath, A. Buckling instabilities andspatio-temporal dynamics of active elastic filaments. J. R. Soc. Interface 2020 , 17 , 20190794..
Ng’ang’a, D. K.; Kang’iri, S. M.; Hess, H.; Nitta, T. Active spiralling of microtubules driven by kinesin motors. Sci. Rep. 2025 , 15 , 20318..
Wang, C.; Zhou, Y.; Yang, X.; Chen, Y.; Shen, Y.; Luo, M. Conformation and dynamics of a tethered active polymer chain. Phys. Rev. E 2022 , 106 , 054501..
Li, J. X.; Wu, S.; Hao, L. L.; Lei, Q. L.; Ma, Y. Q. Activity-driven polymer knotting for macromolecular topology engineering. Sci. Adv. 2024 , 10 , eadr0716..
Wu, S.; Li, J. X.; Ma, Y. Q. Conformation and dynamics of active polymers with one end fixed. Phys. Rev. E 2025 , 112 , 045431..
Shen, C.; Qin, C. R.; Xu, T. L.; Chen, K.; Tian, W. D. Structure and dynamics of an active polymer adsorbed on the surface of a cylinder. Soft Matter 2022 , 18 , 1489−1497..
Wang, Y.; Gao, Y. W.; Tian, W. D.; Chen, K. Obstacle-induced giant jammed aggregation of active semiflexible filaments. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2022 , 24 , 23779−23789..
Wu, S.; Li, J. X.; Lei, Q. L. Facilitated dynamics of an active polymer in 2D crowded environments with obstacles. Soft Matter 2022 , 18 , 9263−9272..
Mokhtari, Z.; Zippelius, A. Dynamics of active filaments in porous media. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2019 , 123 , 028001..
Heeremans, T.; Deblais, A.; Bonn, D.; Woutersen, S. Chromatographic separation of active polymer-like worm mixtures by contour length and activity. Sci. Adv. 2022 , 8 , eabj7918..
Yang, X.; Zhou, Y. L.; Zhao, B.; Wang, C.; Luo, M. B. Conformation and dynamics of a long active polymer chain confined in a circular cavity. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025 , 43 , 225−234..
Wang, C.; Hu, H. X.; Zhou, Y. L.; Zhao, B.; Luo, M. B. Translocation of a self-propelled polymer through a narrow pore. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2022 , 40 , 1670−1678..
Tan, F.; Yan, R.; Zhao, C.; Zhao, N. Translocation dynamics of an active filament through a long-length scale channel. J. Phys. Chem. B 2023 , 127 , 8603−8615..
Xu, G. H.; Li, F. G.; Wu, J. C.; Ai, B. Q. Rectification of an active polymer chain with chirality in a transversal asymmetric channel. Phys. A Stat. Mech. Appl. 2021 , 575 , 126051..
Wang, C.; Zhou, Y. L.; Yang, X.; Wu, F.; Luo, M. B. Injection of a self-propelled polymer into a small circular cavity. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024 , 42 , 886−894..
Rezaie-Dereshgi, A.; Khalilian, H.; Sarabadani, J. Translocation of an active polymer into a two dimensional circular nano-container. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2023 , 35 , 355101..
Isele-Holder, R. E.; Jäger, J.; Saggiorato, G.; Elgeti, J.; Gompper, G. Dynamics of self-propelled filaments pushing a load. Soft Matter 2016 , 12 , 8495−8505..
Manna, R. K.; Kumar, P. B. S.; Adhikari, R. Colloidal transport by active filaments. J. Chem. Phys. 2017 , 146 , 024901..
Sung, W.; Park, P. J. Polymer translocation through a pore in a membrane. Phys. Rev. Lett. 1996 , 77 , 783−786..
0
Views
0
Downloads
0
CSCD
Publicity Resources
Related Articles
Related Author
Related Institution
京公网安备11010802046900号