A universal entropic pulling force caused by binding

Hongwei Zuo, Fujia Tian, Chen Zhang, Qiyuan Qiu, Yujie Zheng, Hao He, Jiahao Zhang, Xing-Hua Zhang () and Liang Dai ()
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Hongwei Zuo: City University of Hong Kong
Fujia Tian: City University of Hong Kong
Chen Zhang: Wuhan University
Qiyuan Qiu: City University of Hong Kong
Yujie Zheng: City University of Hong Kong
Hao He: City University of Hong Kong
Jiahao Zhang: Wuhan University
Xing-Hua Zhang: Wuhan University
Liang Dai: City University of Hong Kong

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract We report an entropic pulling force that commonly occurs in systems with molecular or macroscopic binding. A particle binding to an object produces an entropic pulling force on the object because the bound particle tends to escape from this object to gain more entropy. This entropic pulling effect leads to an entropic force of ~ $${k}_{B}T/{l}_{b}$$ k B T / l b , where $${k}_{B}$$ k B is the Boltzmann constant, T is temperature, and $${l}_{b}$$ l b is the binding length. We validate this entropic pulling effect through simulations and experiments. In macroscopic experiments, a particle bound to a bead-chain on a vibration platform, where mechanical vibration mimics thermal noise, produces an entropic force. In single-molecule magnetic-tweezers experiments, multivalent ions binding to DNA exert an entropic force to enlarge the DNA’s diameter, detected through precise measurement of DNA twist change and twist-diameter coupling. The reported entropic force has biological and technological implications. Cells may utilize this entropic force to disassemble protein aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases, while engineered molecular machines could harness it to exert controlled force.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64670-x

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