COMPUTER SIMULATIONS REVEAL MOLECULAR MOTOR
PROPERTIES USING A MICROTUBULE
AND AN OPTICAL TWEEZER
P. B. Kraikivski, L. N. Gall
Institute for Analytical Instrumentation RAS, Saint-Petersburg
We present theoretical studies of
the dynamics of molecular motors interacting with a microtubule. Using an
optical tweezer and a microtubule, we subjected molecular motors to forces
in different directions. To study the dependence of motor properties on the
load in different directions, the translational motion of the microtubule
in a gliding motor array was transformed into the rotational motion. Computer
simulations show that the force-velocity relationship can be obtained. The
dependence of microtubule gliding on the density of bound motors is investigated.