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Role of anisotropy for protein-protein encounter

Jakob Schluttig, Christian B. Korn, and Ulrich S. Schwarz
Phys. Rev. E 81, 030902(R) – Published 10 March 2010

Abstract

Protein-protein interactions comprise both transport and reaction steps. During the transport step, anisotropy of proteins and their complexes is important both for hydrodynamic diffusion and accessibility of the binding site. Using a Brownian dynamics approach and extensive computer simulations, we quantify the effect of anisotropy on the encounter rate of ellipsoidal particles covered with spherical encounter patches. We show that the encounter rate k depends on the aspect ratios ξ mainly through steric effects, while anisotropic diffusion has only a little effect. Calculating analytically the crossover times from anisotropic to isotropic diffusion in three dimensions, we find that they are much smaller than typical protein encounter times, in agreement with our numerical results.

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  • Received 18 December 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.81.030902

©2010 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Jakob Schluttig1,2, Christian B. Korn2, and Ulrich S. Schwarz1,2

  • 1University of Heidelberg, Institut für Theoretische Physik, Philosophenweg 19, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
  • 2University of Heidelberg, Bioquant, Im Neuenheimer Feld 267, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 81, Iss. 3 — March 2010

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