Dimensionality-dependent crossover in motility of polyvalent burnt-bridges ratchets

Abstract

The burnt-bridges ratchet (BBR) mechanism is a model for biased molecular motion whereby the construct destroys track binding sites as it progresses, and therefore acts as a diffusing forager, seeking new substrate sites. Using Monte Carlo simulations that implement the Gillespie algorithm, we investigate the kinetic characteristics of simple polyvalent BBRs as they move on tracks of increasing width. We find that as the track width is increased the BBRs remain nearly ballistic for considerable track widths proportional to the span (leg length) of the polyvalent walker, before transitioning to near-conventional diffusion on two-dimensional tracks. We find there exists a tradeoff in BBR track association time and superdiffusivity in the BBR design parameter space of span, polyvalency and track width. Furthermore, we develop an analytical model to describe the ensembleaverage motion on the track and find it is in good agreement with our Gillespie simulation results. This work offers insights into design criteria for de novo BBRs and their associated tracks, where experimentalists seek to optimize directionality and track association time.

arXiv commentIncludes SI, but not supporting movies

References in corpus (8)

• Transition to superdiffusive behavior in intracellular actin-based transport mediated by molecular motors
• Bipedal nanowalker by pure physical mechanisms
• Depletion-Controlled Starvation of a Diffusing Forager
• A "Burnt Bridge'' Brownian Ratchet
• Superdiffusive transport by multivalent molecular walkers moving under load
• Role of Depletion on the Dynamics of a Diffusing Forager
• Molecular Spiders in One Dimension
• Optimally Frugal Foraging

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Theory of nonequilibrium free energy transduction by molecular machines
• Irreversibility, heat and information flows induced by non-reciprocal interactions
• The Lawnmower: an autonomous, protein-based artificial molecular motor
• Apparent superballistic dynamics in one-dimensional random walks with biased detachment
• Multivalent Diffusive Transport
• Coarse-grained dynamics of transiently-bound fast linkers
• Tethered single-legged molecular spiders on independent 1D tracks