Collective alignment of polar filaments by molecular motors |
| |
Authors: | F Ziebert M Vershinin S P Gross and I S Aranson |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, 60439 Argonne, IL, USA;(2) Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie Théorique, 10 rue Vauquelin, F-75231 Paris, France;(3) Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA |
| |
Abstract: | We study the alignment of polar biofilaments, such as microtubules and actin, subject to the action of multiple molecular
motors attached simultaneously to more than one filament. Focusing on a paradigm model of only two filaments interacting with
multiple motors, we were able to investigate in detail the alignment dynamics. While almost no alignment occurs in the case
of a single motor, the filaments become rapidly aligned due to the collective action of the motors. Our analysis shows that
the alignment time is governed by the number of bound motors and the magnitude of the motors’ stepping fluctuations. We predict
that the time scale of alignment is in the order of seconds, much faster than that reported for passive crosslink-induced
bundling. In vitro experiments on the alignment of microtubules by multiple-motor covered beads are in qualitative agreement. We also discuss
another mode of fast alignment of filaments, namely the cooperation between motors and passive crosslinks. |
| |
Keywords: | PACS" target="_blank">PACS 87 16 -b Subcellular structure and processes 05 65 +b Self-organized systems 87 16 Nn Motor proteins (myosin kinesin dynein) |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|