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Mechanics of the kinesin step

Author

Listed:
  • N. J. Carter

    (Marie Curie Research Institute, The Chart)

  • R. A. Cross

    (Marie Curie Research Institute, The Chart)

Abstract

Kinesin is a molecular walking machine that organizes cells by hauling packets of components directionally along microtubules. The physical mechanism that impels directional stepping is uncertain. We show here that, under very high backward loads, the intrinsic directional bias in kinesin stepping can be reversed such that the motor walks sustainedly backwards in a previously undescribed mode of ATP-dependent backward processivity. We find that both forward and backward 8-nm steps occur on the microsecond timescale and that both occur without mechanical substeps on this timescale. The data suggest an underlying mechanism in which, once ATP has bound to the microtubule-attached head, the other head undergoes a diffusional search for its next site, the outcome of which can be biased by an applied load.

Suggested Citation

  • N. J. Carter & R. A. Cross, 2005. "Mechanics of the kinesin step," Nature, Nature, vol. 435(7040), pages 308-312, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:435:y:2005:i:7040:d:10.1038_nature03528
    DOI: 10.1038/nature03528
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    Cited by:

    1. Hao Wu & Yiyu Chen & Wenlong Xu & Chen Xin & Tao Wu & Wei Feng & Hao Yu & Chao Chen & Shaojun Jiang & Yachao Zhang & Xiaojie Wang & Minghui Duan & Cong Zhang & Shunli Liu & Dawei Wang & Yanlei Hu & Ji, 2023. "High-performance Marangoni hydrogel rotors with asymmetric porosity and drag reduction profile," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Chou, Y.C. & Hsiao, Yi-Feng & To, Kiwing, 2015. "Dynamic model of the force driving kinesin to move along microtubule—Simulation with a model system," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 433(C), pages 66-73.
    3. I.A. Kuznetsov & A.V. Kuznetsov, 2015. "Modelling organelle transport after traumatic axonal injury," Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(6), pages 583-591, April.
    4. Lipowsky, Reinhard & Chai, Yan & Klumpp, Stefan & Liepelt, Steffen & Müller, Melanie J.I., 2006. "Molecular motor traffic: From biological nanomachines to macroscopic transport," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 372(1), pages 34-51.
    5. Zhang, Yunxin, 2009. "A general two-cycle network model of molecular motors," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 388(17), pages 3465-3474.
    6. A.V. Kuznetsov, 2014. "Sorting of cargos between axons and dendrites: modelling of differences in cargo transport in these two types of neurites," Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(7), pages 792-799, May.
    7. James F. Cass & Hermes Bloomfield-Gadêlha, 2023. "The reaction-diffusion basis of animated patterns in eukaryotic flagella," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Peter Keller & Sylvie Rœlly & Angelo Valleriani, 2015. "A Quasi Random Walk to Model a Biological Transport Process," Methodology and Computing in Applied Probability, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 125-137, March.
    9. A. Kuznetsov, 2012. "Modelling transport of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles in axons and dendrites of cortical neurons," Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(12), pages 1263-1271.

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