Dresden 2011 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 24: Physics of Cells II
BP 24.1: Talk
Thursday, March 17, 2011, 10:15–10:30, ZEU 250
Anomalous reaction kinetics in crowded fluids — Marcel Hellmann1,2, Dieter W. Heermann2, and •Matthias Weiss1,3 — 1Cellular Biophysics Group, German Cancer Research Center, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany — 2Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany — 3Experimental Physics I, University of Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany
Anomalous diffusion in crowded fluids, e.g. in the cytoplasm or on membranes of living cells, is a frequent phenomenon. The experimentally observed subdiffusive characteristics is most consistent with fractional Brownian motion, i.e. the motion of particles in a viscoelastic medium. Here, we show that biochemical reactions, e.g. (multiple) phosphorylation events, are massively influenced by the reactants’ (sub)diffusion characteristics. In virtually all studied cases an anomalous kinetics was observed, i.e. a time-dependent rate coefficient emerged along with a segregation of reactants. As a consequence, multiple phosphorylation events, e.g. in intracellular signaling cascades, may occur with a higher probability as compared to reactions in purely viscous (water-like) environments that are fueled by a normal diffusion.