@article{GrebenkovMetzlerOshanin2021,
  author    = {Grebenkov, Denis S. and Metzler, Ralf and Oshanin, Gleb},
  title     = {A molecular relay race: sequential first-passage events to the terminal reaction centre in a cascade of diffusion controlled processes},
  series = {New Journal of Physics (NJP)},
  volume    = {23},
  journal   = {New Journal of Physics (NJP)},
  publisher = {IOP - Institute of Physics Publishing},
  address   = {Bristol},
  issn      = {1367-2630},
  doi       = {10.1088/1367-2630/ac1e42},
  pages     = {18},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {We consider a sequential cascade of molecular first-reaction events towards a terminal reaction centre in which each reaction step is controlled by diffusive motion of the particles. The model studied here represents a typical reaction setting encountered in diverse molecular biology systems, in which, e.g. a signal transduction proceeds via a series of consecutive 'messengers': the first messenger has to find its respective immobile target site triggering a launch of the second messenger, the second messenger seeks its own target site and provokes a launch of the third messenger and so on, resembling a relay race in human competitions. For such a molecular relay race taking place in infinite one-, two- and three-dimensional systems, we find exact expressions for the probability density function of the time instant of the terminal reaction event, conditioned on preceding successful reaction events on an ordered array of target sites. The obtained expressions pertain to the most general conditions: number of intermediate stages and the corresponding diffusion coefficients, the sizes of the target sites, the distances between them, as well as their reactivities are arbitrary.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{GrebenkovMetzlerOshanin2021,
  author    = {Grebenkov, Denis S. and Metzler, Ralf and Oshanin, Gleb},
  title     = {A molecular relay race: sequential first-passage events to the terminal reaction centre in a cascade of diffusion controlled processes},
  series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  journal   = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  issn      = {1866-8372},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-52194},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-521942},
  pages     = {20},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {We consider a sequential cascade of molecular first-reaction events towards a terminal reaction centre in which each reaction step is controlled by diffusive motion of the particles. The model studied here represents a typical reaction setting encountered in diverse molecular biology systems, in which, e.g. a signal transduction proceeds via a series of consecutive 'messengers': the first messenger has to find its respective immobile target site triggering a launch of the second messenger, the second messenger seeks its own target site and provokes a launch of the third messenger and so on, resembling a relay race in human competitions. For such a molecular relay race taking place in infinite one-, two- and three-dimensional systems, we find exact expressions for the probability density function of the time instant of the terminal reaction event, conditioned on preceding successful reaction events on an ordered array of target sites. The obtained expressions pertain to the most general conditions: number of intermediate stages and the corresponding diffusion coefficients, the sizes of the target sites, the distances between them, as well as their reactivities are arbitrary.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GodecMetzler2017,
  author    = {Godec, Aljaž and Metzler, Ralf},
  title     = {First passage time statistics for two-channel diffusion},
  series = {Journal of physics : A, Mathematical and theoretical},
  volume    = {50},
  journal   = {Journal of physics : A, Mathematical and theoretical},
  number    = {8},
  publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.},
  address   = {Bristol},
  issn      = {1751-8113},
  doi       = {10.1088/1751-8121/aa5204},
  pages     = {17},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {We present rigorous results for the mean first passage time and first passage time statistics for two-channel Markov additive diffusion in a 3-dimensional spherical domain. Inspired by biophysical examples we assume that the particle can only recognise the target in one of the modes, which is shown to effect a non-trivial first passage behaviour. We also address the scenario of intermittent immobilisation. In both cases we prove that despite the perfectly non-recurrent motion of two-channel Markov additive diffusion in 3 dimensions the first passage statistics at long times do not display Poisson-like behaviour if none of the phases has a vanishing diffusion coefficient. This stands in stark contrast to the standard (one-channel) Markov diffusion counterpart. We also discuss the relevance of our results in the context of cellular signalling.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GrebenkovMetzlerOshanin2017,
  author    = {Grebenkov, Denis S. and Metzler, Ralf and Oshanin, Gleb},
  title     = {Effects of the target aspect ratio and intrinsic reactivity onto diffusive search in bounded domains},
  series = {New journal of physics : the open-access journal for physics},
  volume    = {19},
  journal   = {New journal of physics : the open-access journal for physics},
  publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.},
  address   = {Bristol},
  issn      = {1367-2630},
  doi       = {10.1088/1367-2630/aa8ed9},
  pages     = {11},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {We study the mean first passage time (MFPT) to a reaction event on a specific site in a cylindrical geometry-characteristic, for instance, for bacterial cells, with a concentric inner cylinder representing the nuclear region of the bacterial cell. A similar problem emerges in the description of a diffusive search by a transcription factor protein for a specific binding region on a single strand of DNA. We develop a unified theoretical approach to study the underlying boundary value problem which is based on a self-consistent approximation of the mixed boundary condition. Our approach permits us to derive explicit, novel, closed-form expressions for the MFPT valid for a generic setting with an arbitrary relation between the system parameters. We analyse this general result in the asymptotic limits appropriate for the above-mentioned biophysical problems. Our investigation reveals the crucial role of the target aspect ratio and of the intrinsic reactivity of the binding region, which were disregarded in previous studies. Theoretical predictions are confirmed by numerical simulations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{GrebenkovMetzlerOshanin2017,
  author    = {Grebenkov, Denis S. and Metzler, Ralf and Oshanin, Gleb},
  title     = {Effects of the target aspect ratio and intrinsic reactivity onto diffusive search in bounded domains},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-403726},
  pages     = {11},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {We study the mean first passage time (MFPT) to a reaction event on a specific site in a cylindrical geometry—characteristic, for instance, for bacterial cells, with a concentric inner cylinder representing the nuclear region of the bacterial cell. Asimilar problem emerges in the description of a diffusive search by a transcription factor protein for a specific binding region on a single strand of DNA.We develop a unified theoretical approach to study the underlying boundary value problem which is based on a self-consistent approximation of the mixed boundary condition. Our approach permits us to derive explicit, novel, closed-form expressions for the MFPT valid for a generic setting with an arbitrary relation between the system parameters.Weanalyse this general result in the asymptotic limits appropriate for the above-mentioned biophysical problems. Our investigation reveals the crucial role of the target aspect ratio and of the intrinsic reactivity of the binding region, which were disregarded in previous studies. Theoretical predictions are confirmed by numerical simulations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GrebenkovMetzlerOshanin2017,
  author    = {Grebenkov, Denis S. and Metzler, Ralf and Oshanin, Gleb},
  title     = {Effects of the target aspect ratio and intrinsic reactivity onto diffusive search in bounded domains},
  series = {New journal of physics},
  volume    = {19},
  journal   = {New journal of physics},
  publisher = {IOP},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {1367-2630},
  doi       = {10.1088/1367-2630/aa8ed9},
  pages     = {1 -- 11},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Westudy the mean first passage time (MFPT) to a reaction event on a specific site in a cylindrical geometry—characteristic, for instance, for bacterial cells, with a concentric inner cylinder representing the nuclear region of the bacterial cell. Asimilar problem emerges in the description of a diffusive search by a transcription factor protein for a specific binding region on a single strand of DNA.We develop a unified theoretical approach to study the underlying boundary value problem which is based on a self-consistent approximation of the mixed boundary condition. Our approach permits us to derive explicit, novel, closed-form expressions for the MFPT valid for a generic setting with an arbitrary relation between the system parameters.Weanalyse this general result in the asymptotic limits appropriate for the above-mentioned biophysical problems. Our investigation reveals the crucial role of the target aspect ratio and of the intrinsic reactivity of the binding region, which were disregarded in previous studies. Theoretical predictions are confirmed by numerical simulations.},
  language  = {en}
}