Deformability of Microtubules: An Atomistic Computational Study

0473505 - ÚFE 2017 RIV US eng A - Abstract
Kučera, Ondřej - Havelka, Daniel - Deriu, M.A. - Cifra, Michal
Deformability of Microtubules: An Atomistic Computational Study.
Biophysical Journal. Cell Press. Roč. 110, č. 3 (2016), s. 131-131. ISSN 0006-3495. E-ISSN 1542-0086.
[60th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical-Society. 27.02.2016-02.03.2016, Los Angeles]
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-17102S
Institutional support: RVO:67985882
Keywords : Microtubules * Electrical polarity
Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering

Thanks to their material properties, microtubules can play complex variety of biological functions. Experimental studies have shown that mechanical characteristics of microtubules are length-dependent and anisotropic, however, the origin of this feature has not been traced down to the level of tubulin sequence yet. Here we use high-resolution elastic network model to show local deformations patterns in microtubule structure up to the level of individual amino acid residues. The mechanical strain within the molecular structure of a microtubule is, according to our results, localized to interdimer contacts with energetic preference of deformation in longitudinal contacts. These findings are in agreement with reported mechanical anisotropy of microtubules, i.e. higher Young's modulus in axial direction compared to radial direction. Our results contribute to understanding the origin of deformability of microtubules on the molecular level, which is important for prospective targeting of microtubules in medical therapeutic strategies
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0270620