Stochasticity of the step size in the force generating process due to a single myosin molecule.
We formulate a motional model on the basis of an experimental optical trapping system which reveals the single molecular events of the force generation due to actin and myosin, and we discuss the origin of the dispersion of the displacements of the beads bound to the actin filament. In some experimental data sets, this dispersion is larger than that presumed from the model under the condition that the thermal agitation is the only source of the fluctuation. Thus, other fluctuating elements besides that due to thermal agitation are supposed to cause the dispersion. A possible fluctuating element is the step size itself. We discuss this possibility and estimate the fluctuation in step size using two reported experimental data sets.
Kagawa
Yuki
Y
Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan. ykagawa@bio.titech.ac.jp
Tsuchiya
Yoshimi
Y
D000199:Actins / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009218:Myosins / Q000502:physiology*; D013269:Stochastic Processes
D000199:Actins; D009218:Myosins