Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 198301 (2008) [4 pages]Asymptotic Strength Limit of Hydrogen-Bond Assemblies in Proteins at Vanishing Pulling RatesReceived 22 October 2007; published 12 May 2008 We develop a fracture-mechanics-based theoretical framework that considers the free energy competition between entropic elasticity of polypeptide chains and rupture of peptide hydrogen bonds, which we use here to provide an explanation for the intrinsic strength limit of protein domains at vanishing rates. Our analysis predicts that individual protein domains stabilized only by hydrogen bonds cannot exhibit rupture forces larger than ≈200 pN in the asymptotic limit. This result explains earlier experimental and computational observations that indicate an asymptotical strength limit at vanishing pulling rates. © 2008 The American Physical Society URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.198301
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.198301
PACS:
82.37.Rs, 62.20.M−, 81.40.Lm, 87.15.La
See AlsoComment: Dmitrii E. Makarov, Comment on “Asymptotic Strength Limit of Hydrogen-Bond Assemblies in Proteins at Vanishing Pulling Rates”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 129801 (2009). Reply: Sinan Keten and Markus J. Buehler, Keten and Buehler Reply:, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 129802 (2009). |
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