Memory effects and L\'evy walk dynamics in intracellular transport of cargoes

TL;DR

This paper uncovers memory effects in intracellular cargo transport, showing that cargoes tend to stay attached longer the more they move, leading to Levy walk-like dynamics with implications for understanding cellular transport mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence of memory effects in cargo transport and links these effects to Levy walk dynamics through a theoretical framework.

Findings

Cargo detachment rate decreases with movement duration

Memory effects persist up to 2 seconds

Cargo movement exhibits super-diffusive Levy walk behavior

Abstract

We demonstrate the phenomenon of cumulative inertia in intracellular transport involving multiple motor proteins in human epithelial cells by measuring the empirical survival probability of cargoes on the microtubule and their detachment rates. We found the longer a cargo moves along a microtubule, the less likely it detaches from it. As a result, the movement of cargoes is non-Markovian and involves a memory. We observe memory effects on the scale of up to 2 seconds. We provide a theoretical link between the measured detachment rate and the super-diffusive Levy walk-like cargo movement.