Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments

article Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments published yes Zuzana Dunajova author 4B39F286-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87 Batirtze Prats Mateu author 299FE892-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87 Philipp Radler author 40136C2A-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0001-9198-2182 Keesiang Lim author Dörte Brandis author 21d64d35-f128-11eb-9611-b8bcca7a12fd Philipp Velicky author 39BDC62C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0002-2340-7431 Johann G Danzl author 42EFD3B6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0001-8559-3973 Richard W. Wong author Jens Elgeti author Edouard B Hannezo author 3A9DB764-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0001-6005-1561 Martin Loose author 462D4284-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A870000-0001-7309-9724 JoDa department EdHa department MaLo department GradSch department Self-Organization of the Bacterial Cell project In vitro reconstitution of bacterial cell division project Motile active matter models of migrating cells and chiral filaments project The emergence of large-scale order in self-organized systems relies on local interactions between individual components. During bacterial cell division, FtsZ—a prokaryotic homologue of the eukaryotic protein tubulin—polymerizes into treadmilling filaments that further organize into a cytoskeletal ring. In vitro, FtsZ filaments can form dynamic chiral assemblies. However, how the active and passive properties of individual filaments relate to these large-scale self-organized structures remains poorly understood. Here we connect single-filament properties with the mesoscopic scale by combining minimal active matter simulations and biochemical reconstitution experiments. We show that the density and flexibility of active chiral filaments define their global order. At intermediate densities, curved, flexible filaments organize into chiral rings and polar bands. An effectively nematic organization dominates for high densities and for straight, mutant filaments with increased rigidity. Our predicted phase diagram quantitatively captures these features, demonstrating how the flexibility, density and chirality of the active filaments affect their collective behaviour. Our findings shed light on the fundamental properties of active chiral matter and explain how treadmilling FtsZ filaments organize during bacterial cell division. https://research-explorer.ista.ac.at/download/13314/14916/2023_NaturePhysics_Dunajova.pdf application/pdfno https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Springer Nature2023 eng Nature Physics 1745-2473 1745-2481 38075437 00117864530004110.1038/s41567-023-02218-w 191916-1926 https://research-explorer.ista.ac.at/record/13116 https://research-explorer.ista.ac.at/record/21423 https://research-explorer.ista.ac.at/record/21439 Z. Dunajova, B. Prats Mateu, P. Radler, K. Lim, D. Brandis, P. Velicky, J.G. Danzl, R.W. Wong, J. Elgeti, E.B. Hannezo, M. Loose, Nature Physics 19 (2023) 1916–1926. Dunajova, Zuzana, et al. “Chiral and Nematic Phases of Flexible Active Filaments.” Nature Physics, vol. 19, Springer Nature, 2023, pp. 1916–26, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w">10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w</a>. Z. Dunajova et al., “Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments,” Nature Physics, vol. 19. Springer Nature, pp. 1916–1926, 2023. Dunajova, Z., Prats Mateu, B., Radler, P., Lim, K., Brandis, D., Velicky, P., … Loose, M. (2023). Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments. Nature Physics. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w</a> Dunajova, Zuzana, Batirtze Prats Mateu, Philipp Radler, Keesiang Lim, Dörte Brandis, Philipp Velicky, Johann G Danzl, et al. “Chiral and Nematic Phases of Flexible Active Filaments.” Nature Physics. Springer Nature, 2023. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w</a>. Dunajova Z, Prats Mateu B, Radler P, Lim K, Brandis D, Velicky P, Danzl JG, Wong RW, Elgeti J, Hannezo EB, Loose M. 2023. Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments. Nature Physics. 19, 1916–1926. Dunajova Z, Prats Mateu B, Radler P, et al. Chiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments. Nature Physics. 2023;19:1916-1926. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w">10.1038/s41567-023-02218-w</a> 133142023-07-27T14:44:45Z2026-06-10T09:41:11Z