中国物理B ›› 2008, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (4): 1513-1517.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/17/4/060

• 8000 CROSSDISCIPLINARY PHYSICS AND RELATED AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY • 上一篇    下一篇

Monte Carlo simulation on backward steps of single kinesin molecule

王宏, 张勇, 窦硕星, 王鹏业   

  1. Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100080, China
  • 收稿日期:2007-04-28 修回日期:2007-10-22 出版日期:2008-04-20 发布日期:2008-04-20
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 10334100 and 10674173).

Monte Carlo simulation on backward steps of single kinesin molecule

Wang Hong(王宏), Zhang Yong(张勇), Dou Shuo-Xing(窦硕星), and Wang Peng-Ye(王鹏业)   

  1. Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100080, China
  • Received:2007-04-28 Revised:2007-10-22 Online:2008-04-20 Published:2008-04-20
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 10334100 and 10674173).

摘要: Kinesin is a stepping molecular motor travelling along the microtubule. It moves primarily in the plus end direction of the microtubule and occasionally in the minus-end, backward, direction. Recently, the backward steps of kinesin under different loads and temperatures start to attract interests, and the relations among them are revealed. This paper aims to theoretically understand these relations observed in experiments. After introducing a backward pathway into the previous model of the ATPase cycle of kinesin movement, the dependence of the backward movement on the load and the temperature is explored through Monte Carlo simulation. Our results agree well with previous experiments.

Abstract: Kinesin is a stepping molecular motor travelling along the microtubule. It moves primarily in the plus end direction of the microtubule and occasionally in the minus-end, backward, direction. Recently, the backward steps of kinesin under different loads and temperatures start to attract interests, and the relations among them are revealed. This paper aims to theoretically understand these relations observed in experiments. After introducing a backward pathway into the previous model of the ATPase cycle of kinesin movement, the dependence of the backward movement on the load and the temperature is explored through Monte Carlo simulation. Our results agree well with previous experiments.

Key words: kinesin, backward steps, Monte Carlo, ATPase cycle

中图分类号:  (Applications of Monte Carlo methods)

  • 02.70.Uu
87.15.A- (Theory, modeling, and computer simulation) 87.15.H- (Dynamics of biomolecules) 87.16.Ka (Filaments, microtubules, their networks, and supramolecular assemblies) 87.16.Nn (Motor proteins (myosin, kinesin dynein))