Velocity modulation of microtubules in electric fields.
This in vitro study reports that electric fields can control the velocity of microtubules gliding over a kinesin-coated surface. Assisting fields increased speed up to fivefold, while opposing fields slowed motion to zero, and sideways fields induced significant motion. The authors present a grab-and-release model to explain the observed velocity changes.
Key points
- Electric fields were reported to modulate microtubule gliding speed over a wide range.
- Assisting fields increased microtubule speed up to a factor of five compared with zero field.
- Opposing fields could slow microtubules down to zero velocity.
- Sideways-applied fields induced significant motion.
- Kinesin surface density influenced the rate of velocity change with field application.
- ATP concentration was reported to have little effect on velocity change provided it was nonzero.
- A simple grab-and-release model was proposed to explain the field-dependent velocity changes.
Referenced studies & papers
Relevant papers in OpenMel
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AI-generated summaries may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
AI-generated summaries may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
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