Topological friction strongly affects viral DNA ejection

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Abstract
Significance: Bacteriophages are viruses which infect bacteria. Many of these contain double-stranded DNA packed to almost crystalline density and exploit the resulting pressure to trigger DNA ejection into the infected bacterial cell. We show that the ejection kinetics is highly sensitive to the ordering and knotting of the packaged DNA which, in turn, is controlled by DNA self-interactions. The latter favor ordered DNA spools which have a lower effective or topological friction than disordered entangled DNA structures. We also find that torus knots (which can be drawn on the surface of a doughnut) exit the bacteriophage easily; while complex knots or twist knots (which can be formed by linking the ends of a twisted loop) slow down and may stall ejection.

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