Abstract
The movement of single kinesin molecules was observed while applying noisy external forces that mimic intracellular active fluctuations. We found kinesin accelerates under noise, especially when a large hindering load is added. The behavior quantitatively conformed to a theoretical model that describes the kinesin movement with simple two-state reactions. The universality of the kinetic theory suggests that intracellular enzymes share a similar noise-induced acceleration mechanism, i.e., active fluctuations in cells are not just noise but are utilized to promote various physiological processes.
- Received 16 March 2021
- Accepted 8 September 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.178101
© 2021 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Focus
Continuous Jostling Helps Protein Perform
Published 22 October 2021
Kinesin, which moves cargo around inside cells, moves faster with constant buffeting than without, suggesting that it’s optimized for the cellular environment.
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