ELASTICITY OF KINESIN UNDER ROTARY AND LINEAR FORCES

了解任何电机的工作原理都需要指定电机的机械部件，并确定这些部件在力产生过程中如何移动和相互作用。运动蛋白的内部工作机制尚不清楚，运动蛋白为肌肉收缩提供动力，推动精子游动，并在细胞中沿着轨道携带细胞器。该建议旨在揭示运动蛋白驱动蛋白的机械弹性组分。具体目标是：测量驱动蛋白在（1）扭转力、（2）纵向力和（3）拉伸力下的弹性，定位相应的分子柔顺元件，并评估这些外力对驱动蛋白力产生的影响。光镊和校准的力纤维将被用来测量力和位移的单分子的电机弹性特性的表征。将利用重组蛋白表达技术来鉴定弹性组分。在该建议中获得的信息可以用于开发驱动蛋白机器的操作模型。

Understanding how any motor works requires specifying the motor's mechanical components and determining how these components move and interact during the force-generating process. The internal workings of motor proteins, which power muscle contraction, propel swimming sperm, and carry organelles along tracks in cells, are not understood. This proposal intends to reveal the mechanical elastic components of the motor protein kinesin. The specific aims are: to measure the elasticity of kinesin under (1) torsional, (2) longitudinal, and (3) extensional forces, to locate the corresponding molecular compliant elements, and to evaluate the impact of these external forces on kinesin force generation. Optical tweezers and calibrated force fibers will be used to measure force and displacement of single-molecules for the characterization of motor elastic properties. Recombinant protein expression techniques will be utilized to identify the elastic components. The information obtained in this proposal can be used to develop a model for operation of the kinesin machine.