Effect of the microtubule-associated protein tau on dynamics of single-headed motor proteins KIF1A

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2014 Feb;89(2):022714. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.89.022714. Epub 2014 Feb 19.

Abstract

Intracellular transport based on molecular motors and its regulation are crucial to the functioning of cells. Filamentary tracks of the cells are abundantly decorated with nonmotile microtubule-associated proteins, such as tau. Motivated by experiments on kinesin-tau interactions [Dixit et al., Science 319, 1086 (2008)] we developed a stochastic model of interacting single-headed motor proteins KIF1A that also takes into account the interactions between motor proteins and tau molecules. Our model reproduces experimental observations and predicts significant effects of tau on bound time and run length which suggest an important role of tau in regulation of kinesin-based transport.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Computer Simulation
  • Kinesins / chemistry*
  • Kinesins / ultrastructure
  • Kinetics
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Molecular Motor Proteins / chemistry*
  • Molecular Motor Proteins / ultrastructure
  • Motion
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • tau Proteins / chemistry*
  • tau Proteins / ultrastructure

Substances

  • KIF1A protein, human
  • Molecular Motor Proteins
  • tau Proteins
  • Kinesins