Journal home
Advance online publication
Current issue
Archive
Press releases
Supplements and Focuses
Image gallery
Guide to authors
Online submissionOnline submission
Permissions
For referees
Free online issue
Contact the journal
Subscribe
Advertising
work@npg
naturereprints
About this site
For librarians
 
NPG Resources
Nature
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
UCSD-Nature Signaling Gateway
The Cell Migration Gateway
Nature Reports Stem Cells
Nature Reports Avian Flu
NPG Subject areas
Biotechnology
Cancer
Chemistry
Clinical Medicine
Dentistry
Development
Drug Discovery
Earth Sciences
Evolution & Ecology
Genetics
Immunology
Materials Science
Medical Research
Microbiology
Molecular Cell Biology
Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Physics
Browse all publications
Article
Nature Cell Biology  4, 790 - 797 (2002)
Published online: 23 September 2002; | doi:10.1038/ncb857

Chemomechanical coupling of the forward and backward steps of single kinesin molecules

Masayoshi Nishiyama1, 2, 7, Hideo Higuchi3, 4 & Toshio Yanagida1, 5, 6

1  Single Molecule Processes Project, ICORP, JST, 2-4-14, Senba-Higashi, Mino, Osaka, 562-0035, Japan

2  Department of Biophysical Engineering, Osaka University 1-3, Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-8531, Japan

3  Department of Metallurgy, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan

4  Center of Interdisciplinary Research, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan

5  Department of Physiology and Biosignaling, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

6  Laboratories for Nanobiology, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences Osaka University, A4, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

7  Current address: Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

Correspondence should be addressed to Hideo Higuchi higuchi@material.tohoku.ac.jp
The molecular motor kinesin travels processively along a microtubule in a stepwise manner. Here we have studied the chemomechanical coupling of the hydrolysis of ATP to the mechanical work of kinesin by analysing the individual stepwise movements according to the directionality of the movements. Kinesin molecules move primarily in the forward direction and only occasionally in the backward direction. The hydrolysis of a single ATP molecule is coupled to either the forward or the backward movement. This bidirectional movement is well described by a model of Brownian motion assuming an asymmetric potential of activation energy. Thus, the stepwise movement along the microtubule is most probably due to Brownian motion that is biased towards the forward direction by chemical energy stored in ATP molecules.

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated

REFERENCE
Algal Flagella
Nature Encyclopaedia of Life Sciences
 See all 6 matches for Reference

REVIEWS
The protein import motor of mitochondria
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology Review (01 Aug 2002)
 See all 10 matches for Reviews

NEWS AND VIEWS
Coupling ATP hydrolysis to mechanical work
Nature Cell Biology News and Views (01 Aug 1999)
Molecular motors: Keeping the beat
Nature News and Views (18 Jun 1998)
 See all 15 matches for News And Views

RESEARCH
Force production by single kinesin motors
Nature Cell Biology Article (01 Oct 2000)
 See all 51 matches for Research

 Top
Abstract
Previous | Next
Table of contents
Full textFull text
Download PDFDownload PDF
Send to a friendSend to a friend
Save this linkSave this link

naturejobs

Figures & Tables
Export citation
natureproducts

Search buyers guide:

 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
Nature Cell Biology
ISSN: 1465-7392
EISSN: 1476-4679
Journal home | Advance online publication | Current issue | Archive | Press releases | For authors | Online submission | For referees | Free online issue | About the journal | Contact the journal | Subscribe | Advertising | work@npg | Reprints and permissions | About this site | For librarians
Nature Publishing Group, publisher of Nature, and other science journals and reference works©2002 Nature Publishing Group | Privacy policy