Ultrafast reversible self-assembly of living tangled matter

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Patil, Vishal P.; Tuazon, Harry; Kaufman, Emily; Chakrabortty, Tuhin; Qin, David; Dunkel, Jorn; Bhamla, M. Saad
• 署名单位: Stanford University; University System of Georgia; Georgia Institute of Technology; University System of Georgia; Georgia Institute of Technology; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-12530
• DOI: 10.1126/science.ade7759
• 发表日期: 2023-04-28
• 页码: 392-+
• 关键词: mechanics

摘要

Tangled active filaments are ubiquitous in nature, from chromosomal DNA and cilia carpets to root networks and worm collectives. How activity and elasticity facilitate collective topological transformations in living tangled matter is not well understood. We studied California blackworms (Lumbriculus variegatus), which slowly form tangles in minutes but can untangle in milliseconds. Combining ultrasound imaging, theoretical analysis, and simulations, we developed and validated a mechanistic model that explains how the kinematics of individual active filaments determines their emergent collective topological dynamics. The model reveals that resonantly alternating helical waves enable both tangle formation and ultrafast untangling. By identifying generic dynamical principles of topological self-transformations, our results can provide guidance for designing classes of topologically tunable active materials.