Physical Mechanism of Energy Transduction in Biological Motors

University Of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

Wang Protein motors convert chemical energy to mechanical work while operating in an isothermal environment. The molecular mechanism responsible for the energy transduction is still not clear. The current experimental technologies permit measuring forces and motions of a single protein motor to the precision of piconewtons and nanometers. The main focus of this project is to uncover the energy transduction mechanism of protein motors from single molecule experimental data. First, the investigator develops robust and effective tools for extracting the motor force profile from the measured time series of motor position. The motor force profile shows the motor driving force as a function of motor position. It contains information about the motor mechanism. The investigator also explores what else besides the motor force profile can be extracted from the experimental data. The theoretical and numerical tools developed are useful for the studies of reaction diffusion processes in general. Then, the investigator applies the tools developed to study the force generation mechanism of kinesin and other protein motors. Throughout the model building, new experiments are suggested to experimental colleagues to resolve the unsettled issues. Protein motors play a central role in many cell functions. For example, myosin drives muscle contraction; kinesin drives intracellular vesicle transportation and moves chromosomes during mitosis. Understanding the operating principles of protein motors is crucial to comprehending how biological systems function. It is also important to bioengineering applications: controlling protein motors artificially, incorporating protein motors into artificial systems, and manufacturing nano-scale artificial motors. This project seeks to reveal the operating principles of protein motors from experimental results. In laboratories, the time course of a single protein motor can be recorded. The investigator eas develop theoretical tools to recover the motor force profile from the recorded time courses. Then the force generation mechanism is investigated.