Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 22: Molecular Machines
BP 22.5: Talk
Thursday, March 29, 2007, 10:45–11:00, H43
Optimal flexibility for conformational transitions in macromolecules — •Richard Neher1, Wolfram Möbius1, Erwin Frey1, and Ulrich Gerland2 — 1Arnold-Sommerfeld-Center for Theoretical Physics, LMU München — 2Institute for Theoretical Physics, Universität zu Köln
Conformational transitions in macromolecules often involve the rotation of extended lever-like structures. We show, that the transition rate is drastically accelerated by a flexible hinge in the lever and that the transition is fastest at an optimal stiffness of the hinge. Near the optimal stiffness, the rate decreases only weakly when cargo is attached to the lever, which might be exploited by molecular motors. To describe our simulation data, we generalize the Kramers-Langer theory to configuration dependent mobility matrices.