Polymers with purpose: molecules can squirm free of the pack

## Summary
Credit: Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library Access through your institution Buy or subscribe When densely packed, long molecular chains, such as chromosomes, in living cells can crawl past their neighbours, computer simulations and theoretical modelling suggest 1 . Article Google Scholar Download references Subjects Physics Latest on: Physics Physics at risk: UK science leader on what’s wrong with the latest funding cuts News Q&A 11 MAR 26 Lense–Thirring precessing magnetar engine drives a superluminous supernova Article 11 MAR 26 Nanophotonic waveguide chip-to-world beam scanning Article 11 MAR 26 Jobs Application for a tenure-track faculty position Tenure Track Position Jerusalem The Hebrew University Professor of Integrated Immunology The Department of Biology (D-BIOL; www.biol.ethz.ch) at ETH Zurich invites applications for the above-mentioned position. Faculty Positions at the Center for Machine Learning Research (CMLR), Peking University CMLR's goal is to advance machine learning-related research across a wide range of disciplines. Beijing (CN) Center for Machine Learning Research (CMLR), Peking University Open Rank Faculty (All Levels) in Dept of Oncology Science Open Rank Faculty (All Levels) in Dept of Oncology Science The newly established Department of Oncology Science, College of Medicine at the Unive...

## Article Content
Email
Bluesky
Facebook
LinkedIn
Reddit
Whatsapp
X
An individual polymer molecule (artist’s impression) can wriggle out of a pack of similar molecules. Credit: Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library
Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe
When densely packed, long molecular chains, such as chromosomes, in living cells can crawl past their neighbours, computer simulations and theoretical modelling suggest
1
.
Access options
Access through your institution
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
27,99 €
/ 30 days
cancel any time
Learn more
Subscription info for Korean customers
We have a dedicated website for our Korean customers. Please go to
natureasia.com
to subscribe to this journal.
Go to natureasia.com
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from
$1.95
to
$39.95
Learn more
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00767-7
References
Höfler, A. H. T. P., Chubak, I., Likos, C. N. & Smrek, J.
Phys. Rev. X
16
, 011046 (2026).
Article
Google Scholar
Download references
Subjects
Physics
Latest on:
Physics
Physics at risk: UK science leader on what’s wrong with the latest funding cuts
News Q&A
11 MAR 26
Lense–Thirring precessing magnetar engine drives a superluminous supernova
Article
11 MAR 26
Nanophotonic waveguide chip-to-world beam scanning
Article
11 MAR 26
Jobs
Application for a tenure-track faculty position
Tenure Track Position
Jerusalem
The Hebrew University
Professor of Integrated Immunology
The Department of Biology (D-BIOL; www.biol.ethz.ch) at ETH Zurich invites applications for the above-mentioned position.
Zurich, Switzerland
ETH Zurich
PhD Candidate (m/f/d)
In cooperation with the BMFTR funded I-CHECK-HEART Consortium
Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen (DE)
Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften – ISAS – e.V.
Faculty Positions at the Center for Machine Learning Research (CMLR), Peking University
CMLR's goal is to advance machine learning-related research across a wide range of disciplines.
Beijing (CN)
Center for Machine Learning Research (CMLR), Peking University
Open Rank Faculty (All Levels) in Dept of Oncology Science
Open Rank Faculty (All Levels) in Dept of Oncology Science   The newly established Department of Oncology Science, College of Medicine at the Unive...
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma Health Campus

---

## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- Article Google Scholar Download references Subjects Physics Latest on: Physics Physics at risk: UK science leader on what’s wrong with the latest funding cuts News Q&A 11 MAR 26 Lense–Thirring precessing magnetar engine drives a superluminous supernova Article 11 MAR 26 Nanophotonic waveguide chip-to-world beam scanning Article 11 MAR 26 Jobs Application for a tenure-track faculty position Tenure Track Position Jerusalem The Hebrew University Professor of Integrated Immunology The Department of Biology (D-BIOL; www.biol.ethz.ch) at ETH Zurich invites applications for the above-mentioned position.

### Implications
- Go to natureasia.com Rent or buy this article Prices vary by article type from $1.95 to $39.95 Learn more Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00767-7 References Höfler, A.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers science, access, article topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 352.