Collective dynamics of active filament complexes

Abstract

Networks of biofilaments are essential for the formation of cellular structures that support various biological functions. For the most part, previous studies have investigated the collective dynamics of rod-like biofilaments; however, the shapes of the actual subcellular components are often more elaborate. In this study, we considered an active object composed of two active filaments, which represents the progression from rod-like biofilaments to complex-shaped biofilaments. Specifically, we numerically assessed the collective behaviors of these active objects in two dimensions and observed several types of dynamics depending on the density and the angle of the two filaments as shape parameters of the object. Among the observed collective dynamics, a moving density band that we named a `moving smectic' is introduced here for the first time. By analyzing the trajectories of individual objects and the interactions among them, this study demonstrated how interactions among active biofilaments with complex shapes could produce collective dynamics in a non-trivial manner.