KINESIN 1 (IMAGE)

Rice University

KINESIN 1

Caption

Researchers simulated the mechanism that allows propofol, a common anesthetic, to halt the movement of kinesin proteins that deliver cargoes in cells. When propofol attaches to the leading head, it weakens strain on the two-headed protein that prompts a step forward. The disruption allows ATP to bind to both heads, releasing them from the microtubule pathway. RMSD stands for root-mean-square deviation, a measure of the average distance between atoms in the simulation.

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Mandira Dutta/Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science

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