Impact of Vertical Force Components on the Overall Travel Distances of Kinesin
Jeanette Batres, John Wilson, Jing Xu, PhD
Molecular motors, such as kinesin, actively transport cargo along microtubules in cells. Molecular motor-based transport maintains the proper function of eukaryotic cells and occurs in a variety of cell types, including neurons which can be up to 1 meter in length. Forces can shorten the distances that motors can carry their cargo. Some of the physiological forces impacting motor travel include cargo diffusion and viscous drag. Recently, simulations from the Xu lab have demonstrated that physiological forces on the cargo shortens the distance kinesin transports its cargo. These simulations were based on kinesin detachment kinetics only being impacted by horizontal force components. However, our understanding of detachment kinetics has changed within the last year. It is now becoming clear that vertical force components can also increase the rates at which kinesin detach from microtubules. Using Monte Carlo based simulations, I will examine the implications of vertical detachment kinetics in the context of physiological forces. Findings will determine the importance of vertical force components on the overall travel distance of kinesin based on detachment rates, contributing to our understanding of kinesin function under physiological forces in living cells.
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