Faculty Advisor
Tuzel, Erkan
Abstract
The motor protein kinesin-1 plays an essential role in transporting cellular cargoes within eukaryotic cells. A group of kinesins ``walking' together can cooperatively transport various cellular cargo over relatively long distances. While much is known about the transport by individual kinesin-1 molecules, very little is known about the specific mechanisms of cooperative kinesin-based transport. Here, we developed a two-dimensional stochastic model of cargo transport via multiple kinesins. The simulation focuses on the modeling of quantum dot cargoes transported along a microtubule. We found that high motor densities lead to increased run lengths, increased association times and decreased velocities, and that our stochastic model recapitulates experimental data reasonably well.
Publisher
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Date Accepted
March 2013
Major
Physics
Project Type
Major Qualifying Project
Copyright Statement
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Accessibility
Unrestricted
Advisor Department
Physics
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