We have a collaborating with the Fricks lab (ASU), McKinley lab (Tulane) and the Kramer lab (RPI) in combining experiments and mathematical modeling to understand the principles underlying bidirectional transport in neurons and other cells.
We have had a long-term collaboration with John Fricks’ lab to model kinesin stepping dynamics and the role of the neck linker domain in the diffusional search of the tethered head for the next binding site as kinesin walks along microtubules.
Relevant Publications
Monte Carlo analysis of neck linker extension in kinesin molecular motors. M.L Kutys, J. Fricks and W.O. Hancock. 2010. PLoS Computational Biology 6(11): e1000980. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000980.
Kinesins with Extended Neck Linkers: A Chemomechanical Model for Variable-Length Stepping. J. Hughes, W.O. Hancock, J. Fricks. 2012. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology. 74(5):1066-97.
Estimating Velocity for Processive Motor Proteins with Random Detachment. Hughes, J., Shastry, S., Hancock, W.O., Fricks, J. 2013. Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics. 18(2):204-217.
