We discuss multiscale simulations of long biopolymer translocation through wide nanopores that can accommodate multiple polymer strands. The simulations provide clear evidence of folding quantization, namely the translocation proceeds through multifolded configurations characterized by a well-defined integer number of folds. As a consequence, the translocation time acquires a dependence on the average folding number, which results in a deviation from the single-exponent power law characterizing single-file translocation through narrow pores. The mechanism of folding quantization allows polymers above a threshold length (approximately 1000 persistence lengths for double-stranded DNA) to exhibit cooperative behavior, and as a result to translocate noticeably faster.

• Received 3 December 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.79.030901