title: Brownian ratchets driven by asymmetric nucleation of hydrolysis waves.
abstract: We propose a stochastic process wherein molecular transport is mediated by asymmetric nucleation of domains on a one-dimensional substrate, in contrast with molecular motors that hydrolyze nucleotide triphosphates and undergo conformational change. We show that asymmetric nucleation of hydrolysis waves on a track can also result in directed motion of an attached particle. Asymmetrically cooperative kinetics between hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed states on each lattice site generate moving domain walls that push a particle sitting on the track. We use a novel fluctuating-frame, finite-segment mean field theory to accurately compute steady-state velocities of the driven particle and to discover parameter regimes yielding maximal domain wall flux, leading to optimal particle drift.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomathematics, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095-1766, USA.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lakhanpal
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013269:Stochastic Processes
chemical_list: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D011938:Rec A Recombinases; D009218:Myosins