Definition of functional modules of the acto-myosin interaction (Definition funktioneller Module der Akto-Myosin-Wechselwirkung)

分子马达把化学能转化为机械力。肌肉收缩和细胞内的许多其他动态过程是由肌凝蛋白马达驱动的，肌凝蛋白马达沿着肌动蛋白丝产生机械力。在分子水平上确定肌凝蛋白和肌动蛋白之间的相互作用对于理解力的产生机制是必要的。因此，我们计划在分子水平上研究这种相互作用，通过低温电子显微镜重建在玻璃化冰中成像的肌动蛋白复合物，并通过测定酶循环过程中的结合亲和力。通过比较不同天然存在的肌凝蛋白与肌动蛋白的相互作用，我们希望阐明力产生的详细机制，了解肌动蛋白相互作用的变化如何影响不同肌凝蛋白的生理特性。这些信息可能最终允许构建具有定义属性的纳米机器。

Molecular motors convert chemical energy into mechanical force. Muscle contraction and many other dynamic processes within cells are driven by myosin motors that produce mechanical force along actin filaments. Determination of the interaction between myosin and actin at the molecular level is necessary for understanding the mechanism of force production. Therefore, we plan to study this interaction at the molecular level by the reconstruction of acto-myosin complexes imaged in vitrified ice by cryo electron microscopy and by a determination of the binding affinities during the enzymatic cycle. Through the comparison of the interaction of different naturally occuring myosins with actin, we do hope to elucidate the detailed mechanism of force production and to understand how changes in actin interaction affect the physiological properties of different myosins. These informations may eventually allow the construction of nanomachines with defined properties.