Effects of motor mobility in cargo transport.

Abstract

Long-range intracellular transport is mediated by motor proteins, kinesin and dynein, transporting cargos along a complex microtubule network. Here, we investigate the effects of network complexity on kinesin mediated cargo transport. We compare transport ability of single kinesin to small cargos (quantum dots) with rigid motor attachments. The network complexity comes from different densities of microtubule intersections and random networks of filaments. These studies will help us understand how motors can intrinsically navigate complex networks of filaments in live cells.