A theoretical study of the effects of driven motion on rotational correlations of biological systems

✍ Scribed by Bethe A. Scalettar; Melvin P. Klein; John E. Hearst

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 624 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3525
• DOI: 10.1002/bip.360260806

✦ Synopsis

We have mathematically analyzed the angular correlation of molecules subject to coupled Brownian torques and driven rotational motion. In our approach a stochastic rotation operator is used to generate the time-dependent orientation of a Brownian particle. All required expectation values can then be computed from just a knowledge of the average of the rotation operator. In particular, the angular correlation function of molecules moving under the influence of both Brownian and driving torques can be shown to exhibit an exponential decay modulated by a periodic term arising from the nonrandom force. The associated power spectrum exhibits a resonance at a frequency characteristic of the driving torque. We discuss DNA/RNA polymerase, muscle, and flagellar systems to which our analysis is applicable.