Abstract
We present a phenomenological theory of the static and dynamic effects of knots in polymers. The theory is tested by Monte Carlo simulations using the kink-jump-crankshaft and Berg-Foerster-Aragao de Carvalho-Caracciolo-Froehlich algorithms. A long time relaxation mode is discovered in the dynamics of knotted polymers that is not predicted by the Rouse model. This mode is not present in the trivial knot and appears to be the result of purely topological interactions.