title: Microtubule length regulation by molecular motors.
abstract: Length regulation of microtubules (MTs) is essential for many cellular processes. Molecular motors like kinesin-8, which move along MTs and also act as depolymerases, are known as key players in MT dynamics. However, the regulatory mechanisms of length control remain elusive. Here, we investigate a stochastic model accounting for the interplay between polymerization kinetics and motor-induced depolymerization. We determine the dependence of MT length and variance on rate constants and motor concentration. Moreover, our analyses reveal how collective phenomena lead to a well-defined MT length.
authors.affiliation: Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstrasse 37, 80333 München, Germany. frey@lmu.de
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melbinger
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frey
mesh_terms: D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins