title: Elastic vibrations in seamless microtubules.
abstract: Parameters characterizing elastic properties of microtubules, measured in several recent experiments, reflect an anisotropic character. We describe the microscopic dynamical properties of microtubules using a discrete model based on an appropriate lattice of dimers. Adopting a harmonic approximation for the dimer-dimer interactions and estimating the lattice elastic constants, we make predictions regarding vibration dispersion relations and vibration propagation velocities. Vibration frequencies and velocities are expressed as functions of the elastic constants and of the geometrical characteristics of the microtubules. We show that vibrations which propagate along the protofilament do so significantly faster than those along the helix.
authors.affiliation: The Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada. sportet@mshri.on.ca
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Portet
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tuszyński
authors.forename: C W V
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hogue
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dixon
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004548:Elasticity; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009038:Motion; D011487:Protein Conformation; D014404:Tubulin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014732:Vibration
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin