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Reviews of topical problems


Microtubule: a dynamically unstable stochastic phase switching polymer

 a,  b,  c,  c, d, a,  c, d, a
a Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology RAS, ul. Kosygina 4, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
b Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Leninskie Gory 1, building 73, Moscow, 119234, Russian Federation
c Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics, Leninskie Gory 1 build. 2, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
d Federal Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, ul. Samory Mashela 1, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation

One of the simplest molecular motors, a biological microtubule, is reviewed as an example of a highly nonequilibrium molecular machine capable of stochastic transitions between slow growth and rapid disassembly phases. Basic properties of the microtubule are described, and various approaches to simulating its dynamics, from statistical chemical kinetics models to molecular dynamics models using the Metropolis Monte Carlo and Brownian dynamics methods, are outlined.

Fulltext pdf (2.4 MB)
Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2016.04.037779
Keywords: microtubule, GTP-cap, mathematical modeling, dynamic instability
PACS: 87.10.−e, 87.16.−b, 87.16.A− (all)
DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2016.04.037779
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2016/8/b/
000388449500002
2-s2.0-84995595663
2016PhyU...59..773Z
Citation: Zakharov P N, Arzhanik V K, Ulyanov E V, Gudimchuk N B, Ataullakhanov F I "Microtubule: a dynamically unstable stochastic phase switching polymer" Phys. Usp. 59 773–786 (2016)
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Received: 14th, March 2016, revised: 4th, April 2016, 12th, April 2016

Оригинал: Захаров П Н, Аржаник В К, Ульянов Е В, Гудимчук Н Б, Атауллаханов Ф И «Микротрубочка — динамически нестабильный биополимер со спонтанными переключениями между фазовыми состояниями» УФН 186 853–868 (2016); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2016.04.037779

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