The force exerted by a molecular motor
- 8 June 1999
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Vol. 96 (12) , 6597-6602
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.96.12.6597
Abstract
The stochastic driving force exerted by a single molecular motor (e.g., a kinesin, or myosin) moving on a periodic molecular track (microtubule, actin filament, etc.) is discussed from a general viewpoint open to experimental test. An elementary “barometric” relation for the driving force is introduced that ( i ) applies to a range of kinetic and stochastic models, ( ii ) is consistent with more elaborate expressions entailing explicit representations of externally applied loads, and ( iii ) sufficiently close to thermal equlibrium, satisfies an Einstein-type relation in terms of the velocity and diffusion coefficient of the (load-free) motor. Even in the simplest two-state models, the velocity-vs.-load plots exhibit a variety of contrasting shapes (including nonmonotonic behavior). Previously suggested bounds on the driving force are shown to be inapplicable in general by analyzing discrete jump models with waiting time distributions.Keywords
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