title: Theoretical estimate of the effect of thermal agitation on ribosome motion generated by stochastic microswimming.
abstract: The effect of thermal agitation on ribosome motion is evaluated through the Péclet number, assuming that the ribosome is self-propelled along the mRNA during protein synthesis by a swimming stroke consisting of a cycle of stochastically-generated ribosome configurations involving its two subunits. The ribosome velocity probability distribution function is obtained, giving an approximately normal distribution. Its mean and variance together with an estimate of the in vivo free diffusion coefficient of the ribosome and using only configuration changes of small size, give a Péclet number similar to motor proteins and microorganisms. These results suggest the feasibility of the stochastic microswimming hypothesis to explain ribosome motion.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Química y Matemáticas, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Ciudad de México, Calle del Puente 222 Col, Ejidos de Huipulco, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México 14380, México. Electronic address: josagoga@itesm.mx.
authors.forename: José S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: González-García
mesh_terms: D008962:Models, Theoretical; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Péclet number; Ribosome motion; Stochastic microswimming