Application of the fluctuation theorem to motor proteins: from F1-ATPase to axonal cargo transport by kinesin and dynein

TL;DR

This paper reviews how the fluctuation theorem from non-equilibrium physics is applied to measure forces generated by motor proteins like F1-ATPase, kinesin, and dynein, with implications for understanding neuronal transport and diseases.

Contribution

It introduces the application of the fluctuation theorem to experimentally estimate forces in motor proteins, bridging physics and mechanobiology.

Findings

Successful measurement of rotary torque in F1-ATPase.

Estimation of in vivo cargo transport forces by kinesin and dynein.

Discussion of the fluctuation theorem's potential in neuroscience research.

Abstract

The fluctuation theorem is a representative theorem in non-equilibrium statistical physics actively studied in the 1990's. Relating to entropy production in non-equilibrium states, the theorem has been used to estimate the driving power of motor proteins from fluctuation in their motion. In this review, usage of the fluctuation theorem in experiments on motor proteins is illustrated for biologists, especially those who study mechanobiology, in which force measurement is a central issue. We first introduce the application of the fluctuation theorem in measuring the rotary torque of the rotary motor protein F1-ATPase. Next, as an extension of this application, a recent trial estimating the force generated during cargo transport in vivo by the microtubule motors kinesin and dynein is introduced. Elucidation of the physical mechanism of such transport is important, especially for neurons, in which deficits in cargo transport are deeply related to neuronal diseases. Finally, perspectives on the fluctuation theorem as a new technique in the field of neuroscience are discussed.