Transverse migration of a confined polymer driven by an external force

We demonstrate that a polymer confined to a narrow channel migrates towards the center when driven by an external force parallel to the channel walls. This migration results from asymmetric hydrodynamic interactions between polymer segments and the confining walls. A weak pressure-driven flow, applied in the same direction as the external force, enhances the migration. However, when the pressure gradient and the external force act in opposite directions the polymer can migrate towards the boundaries. Nevertheless, for sufficiently strong forces the polymer always migrates towards the center. A dumbbell kinetic theory explains these results qualitatively. A comparison of our results with experimental measurements on DNA suggests that hydrodynamic interactions in polyelectrolytes are only partially screened. We propose new experiments and analysis to investigate the extent of the screening in polyelectrolyte solutions.