Scientific Calendar Event



Starts 26 Jun 2008 12:00
Ends 26 Jun 2008 20:00
Central European Time
ICTP
Leonardo da Vinci Building Seminar Room
Strada Costiera, 11 I - 34151 Trieste (Italy)
Biological molecular motors are the enzymes which play crucial roles in different cellular and developmental processes in a living cell. Helicases are molecular motors that unwind double-stranded nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. KIF1A is a single headed kinesin motor that takes part in intracellular transport along microtubule from cell center to cell periphery. They both perform mechanical work by hydrolyzing ATP. In the flashing ratchet picture, the motor proteins switch between two states: one where the motor is tightly bound to the track and another where the motor is weakly bound and can diffuse along the track. This flashing ratchet mechanism can be found in these two motors. In this talk I will discuss the speed of unwinding of the double stranded nucleic acid and fluctuations around the average unwinding velocity of the monomeric helicase. Then I will emphasize the effects of mechanochemistry and steric interactions on the KIF1A traffic.
  • M. Poropat