Active Curved Polymers form Vortex Patterns on Membranes

TL;DR

This paper models active curved polymers, like FtsZ, as particles moving in circular paths, revealing how they self-organize into vortex patterns on membranes, with implications for understanding bacterial cell division.

Contribution

It introduces a combined simulation and theoretical approach to describe pattern formation of active curved polymers, highlighting the role of particle density and dynamics.

Findings

Self-organization into vortex structures at intermediate densities

Pattern formation dynamics described by a complex Ginzburg-Landau equation

Identification of phase behavior in active curved polymer systems

Abstract

Recent in vitro experiments with FtsZ polymers show self-organization into different dynamic patterns, including structures reminiscent of the bacterial Z-ring. We model FtsZ polymers as active particles moving along chiral, circular paths by Brownian dynamics simulations and a Boltzmann approach. Our two conceptually different methods point to a generic phase behavior. At intermediate particle densities, we find self-organization into vortex structures including closed rings. Moreover, we show that the dynamics at the onset of pattern formation is described by a generalized complex Ginzburg-Landau equation.